


From Within

by kallmered



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Protective Bucky Barnes, She Be Little But Fierce, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-08-21 23:21:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 41,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8264204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kallmered/pseuds/kallmered
Summary: Project Valkyrie was an unsuccessful success, in that she survived and was enhanced, but she was a dud. Aleks is moved around Hydra for decades, useless and lonely, until she meets The Soldier and her life is never the same again. "You're going to get hit with that mouth." Her handler said. "Sticks and stones, Nicky." CA-Civil War. M for violence/sexy things.





	1. Chapter 1

_Prologue_

1938

Outside Gaggenau, Germany

Hydra Facility

They called it project Valkyrie. The reason for the name was for the embracing of a mistake made during conception of the serum behind it. Hydra scientist Hans Schleif had overlooked a crucial step but it did not ruin the project completely. The mistake ensured that only female subjects were used. They alone could survive initial injection of the serum. Records written in great detail about the serum made it clear that Y chromosome threw off the effect and it was lethal to males.

The goal of the project was to create a subject that could control others. Hydra planned to use the females to control nearly anyone, be it captured enemies, their own soldiers or other various experimental assets. What ensured proper dispersal of the serum was extreme adrenaline. The catalyst was death.

ooo

Starting in 1938, a handful of women from Germany were attempted for the project, most being volunteers from within the SS. They did very well at first within the fighting aspect of the experiment, building up adrenaline. Some looked more promising than the others with backgrounds of combat ability. Yet none of them rose from those highly anticipated deaths. All candidates were shot by Hydra soldiers or slain by them...or even each other to reach the catalyst. Not one of them ever took another breath. It deterred no one in the project, of course.

As the body count rose, the volunteer numbers trickled down until there were no more. At first Schleif followed what the ideal image of a Valkyrie was, almost as a joke. They wanted the final product- to be named Valkyrie- as the ideal of an Aryan woman- tall, healthy and blond with blue eyes. However, those few, which were originally volunteers, died and obviously they'd stopped volunteering.

Orders were to start searching throughout Germany but they could only steal away good citizens for so long. They realized contributing to the death count of Aryan looking women should be conducted no longer, so they began branching outward.

Nazi occupied countries had a standing order to snag any woman who had an looked healthy- and fought back. Scores of women were brought in from many different regions. All who had the serum forcefully introduced had to fight and not one rose from the dead to become the project's Valkyrie.

Sometimes the women wouldn't be killed on the first go around within the "arena", as the project team liked to call it. It was the outdoor glorified cage match- or shooting range. It often depended on the day and attitude of the officer in charge, but sometimes they would just end the day executing some of the women crying in the mud.

Eventually they noticed a particular female who never went down and never lost a fight. When they threw some soldiers in they had a hard time cornering her and she took down two men with a knittingneedle despite her short stature. They removed such needles from the ladies' cells after that.

By the time Schleif heard about her success, Zola had come into the project. They were intrigued. The two found out from her record that she was Ruska- a Russian gypsy. She also had red hair and amber eyes; the complete opposite of the Nazi ideal. This meant nothing to them. She had enough spirit to give them pause and she killed or maimed whatever they threw at her and the other women with her. She always seemed to rally some of them in the arena and it seemed to help her longevity.

Finally they decided it was time to truly test her and end the waiting game. They needed to know.

ooo

Aleksandra knew her time was coming. She didn't know why she was here or what they wanted but she was not alone. Though she'd seen so many die at the hands of soldiers, sometimes each other when the reward was right, she was never actually alone. They had even thrown a bear in once.

She'd been lucky enough to get behind that fucking creature and slammed her sharpened dinner spoon into his skull, saving the last of them in the area that day. Not before he'd taken out her little friend, the sweet Romanian girl who'd been lucky enough to be ignored by others or left in the cells for a long time.

The other women tended to stay away from Aleksandra when she was in the community cell, but in the arena? They stood by her, behind her. She was pure crazy in there and crazy was good if you wanted to survive a world based on insanity.

Aleks tried to ignore the gore and the fights but sometimes she woke in a cold sweat, grabbing for a weapon. She always had something nearby or in her hair. Nona had taught her to never be without something sharp.

Lucky for her- or rather, _un_ lucky in the whole of it- growing up with her Ruska nomadic people and their culture was hard. This was not because the life was terrible. She loved her kin and how much they protected one another. It was the untrustworthy _Gadjo_ \- non-gypsies- who they had to fear, and for good reason. Around them you needed to be swift and ruthless- as they would be no different to her kind. Aleksandra had learned her first lesson very young and never needed a refresher.

While ruminating over her life was _invigorating_ , she'd known her time was up for a while. She could practically taste it. Which is why when they opened the cell and the others scattered she knew they were coming right for her. She was not disappointed.

ooo

Blood running into her eyes blinded her and she could no longer see straight. That last blow to her head was pretty terrible. She'd never been punched in the face by a man before- well, not as hard nor so many times. They'd meant business, but she had her own weapons.

The soldiers beat her into the ground, but she'd spat blood and they relented momentarily, disgusted. Before the slowest and burliest man recoiled she had latched her ankles around his neck. He lurched back, lifting her with him, and her nimble fingers normally used to pickpocket in the streets were used to dig into his eye sockets like they were butter. His scream was fairly inhumane but that hadn't stopped her from laughing from her place on his shoulders. He was now no-eyed _Gadjo_ Nazi and she was pleased she'd gotten in such a cruel injury. They fucking deserved it.

Her victory was short as she was yanked down into the mud. Before she could move she was stabbed through the belly with a bayonet. She didn't scream, just hissed and eyes the bastard who held the rifle. Instead she used her energy to kick him in the balls, bringing him down to her level. Without thinking she lurched over, effectively maiming herself further, and took a chuck out of the man's face with her teeth.

His scream echoed in the area and _finally_ they backed away from her. She was slowly dying from her abdominal wound but she wasn't going to die slow if she had any say in it.

"A little girl scares you..." she spat in broken German. But they got the goddamn point even with her bad grammar.

Scar-face stood up, allowing her to see her work on his cheek, and she smiled at him prettily, blood staining her teeth. "Oh my dear, what will your wife say?" she said mockingly.

Saying nothing, the soldier lifted the pistol that'd been dangling from his side and took aim. The others saw too late. They were under orders to extend her death. It was an execution, true, but she knew they were stringing it out to long to call it that. She was getting what she wanted though, it seemed. She felt the jerk of her chest before she heard the shot. The bloom of pain was sharp but dulled quickly as she lost blood. The woman welcomed the loss after all the torture preceding it.

Aleksandra, scrappy Ruska brawler, felt cold and painless as she finally died in the bloody arena.

ooo

A/N:

Wow this story came out of nowhere!


	2. Chapter 2

ooo

Hydra Facility

Germany

1947

 

They said that lightning her that day, the day of her death. When the smoke cleared she was breathing harshly and all of her wounds healed while they watched her lying in the bloody mud. She knew the healing thing was true but she really doubted the lightning bit. She vaguely remembers a hand, her own she now realizes, wielding nails like claws as it shot up to strangle the first man who stepped up to check her. The audible crack of his neck resonates within her memories clearly.

Aleksandra was finally removed from the arena, placed on a stretcher where she was tied down and wheeled out of the only place she'd known for a long time. A few months? A year? She never found out.

She vividly remembers the many sets of haunted, starving eyes of the women left in the cells as they carted her away. Thinking back on it, her survival likely sent them all to painful and extremely abusive deaths. If they got the result they were after with her beating...she knew most would not have faired much better. Well, I'm sure they at least they kept their mouths shut so that probably helped them...

Aleksandra never kept her mouth shut and it often ended in sharp punishment- at first. She spit barbs and jokes like it was as natural as breathing and eventually they stopped hurting her for most of them. After all, she healed and they did not especially after she got tired of the beatings and snagged some poor devil.

As to the immense power they all expected of her, she was unable to control people. They tried all kinds of experiments to get it to work and not one of them felt good. To test the results they'd shoved plenty of specimens at her to attempt control but other than a bold, grabby one- who ended up losing that hand- she received no special attention and none ever responded. By the time the original Doc left the project for more promising interests, she'd been deemed useless and was locked away.

Sitting in her cold metal container, Aleksandra didn't know why she was still alive. She was small, about five feet, which was measly compared to her handlers' heights. Even that rat-faced little Swiss Doctor Zola with the coke-bottle glasses was taller than her. She hadn't seen him in a long time come to think of it.

The one thing she had for sure was her nails, claws really. Her nails were thicker and curled with her emotions into deadly weapons. She knew this because she'd swiped someone's guts out once...complete accident of course.

A giggle echoed around her. Guess she laughed aloud at the thought.

From the place on her back, wearing a straightjacket, she lifted her bare feet lay up on the wall. Toes aren't claws though...she thought. She wouldn't need those either. She also had sharpened canines, like a damn vampire. She was positive her Ruska family would have stabbed her in the heart knowing how superstitious they were. But they were all dead most likely. The Gestapo rounded them all up and she knew they were placed in a box for cattle on a train. That was the last she'd seen of Nona as they dragged Aleksandra away from her kin.

Footsteps echoed down the hall toward her and her hearing pricked up. There was only two who came to collect her for baths and those were once a week. She'd had one two days ago. There were three though...

Aleksandra rolled to her feet and stood up, awaiting the third visitor as they stopped at her door. It was the short and ugly Doctor Zola to her surprise. Why wasn't he long gone, leaving her to rot in this hole? She narrowed her eyes.

"My dear Valkyrie." He began, "It is time."

"Time for what," her voice cracked from disuse.

"We are taking you to a new home. To give you a purpose. You're not useless to us, my dear." At the scathing look she offered he simply continued. "I've convinced some of my peers that you deserve some freedoms and privileges...in return for your cooperation of course. I hear you enjoy the violin?"

Who the hell did he hear that from? She thought with a sneer, but the answer came to her quickly. They must have questioned who ever was left of her fellow prisoners back in her original cell and kept the information until now, almost a decade later. They knew she loved to play that instrument this whole time, yet kept that from her. Bastards.

"Say that I do. What then?"

"We have an offer for you, Fraulein."

ooo

It was a long journey but she was allotted time outside during a stop, albeit wearing a shiny new collar of all things. They said she couldn't remove it without it shocking her silly and if she tried running or doing anything they would use it on her. She wasn't about to test their word because she was A: allowed this time outside and B: she'd witnessed the force of that collar for herself.

Surprisingly they hadn't tested it on her, but they did on another with her watching it up close. It had been lethal to that subject and even if it likely weren't to her it would probably sting like a fucking devil and leave her burnt like that poor bastard.

Aleksandra had no idea where they were heading, but she was so happy to be outside she hopped out of the vehicle without question. They allowed her to wander a meadow, manned guns all around of course. She headed to a babbling crick nearby, barefoot. The water was icy but it was outside and it was real. The current went up to her ankles and she crouched to inspect the gleaming rocks beneath it.

She realized out there in the open that she could hear so many things she knew were not how it had been before she was locked away. Like how she could hear rodents in the ground nearby and that her sight was extremely sharp. Which was why she wasn't surprised when Zola spoke to her back suddenly.

"We have procured for you some affects, my dear." She watched as he set a packet down on the rocks. "There are some clothes in there that should fit you better than that smock, as well as a brush for grooming."

Even though she hated that she was a commodity and was worthless to them as human being, she was still a little grateful. So she said, "Thank you."

He looked a little surprised but nodded. "You are welcome, Valkyrie."

"That's not my name," she nearly retorted, but she stopped herself. Her Roma name was her own, not theirs. She would take their name for now, but she would always keep Aleksandra, and especially Aleks, for herself.

"Ah! One last thing." He said and she looked up from her thoughts. "I have procured a violin for you, Valkyrie. You will find it back in the vehicle you are traveling in."

"When do I start my training then?"

"Once we arrive at the facility you will start your conditioning. It will be very difficult and you will have no rest, so enjoy your time outside." He turned back to the cars and said over his shoulder, "You will keep the violin though. You have my word on that."

Shocked, she splashed out of the water and practically ran to the car, snagging the packet on the way. Guns were raised as she leapt into the back of the truck she'd been riding in. She obviously shocked her well-armed friends by both her speed and willingness to cooperate, but she ignored them. She had to see it for herself if Zola was telling the truth.

There at the back of the truck bed was a case. It looked a little worn, but the leather smelled heavenly to her as she ran her claws over it. Gingerly, she opened the clasps and raised the lid slowly, half expecting a viper awaiting her. Yet inside lied a beautifully stained violin with the bow strapped in and a set of fresh strings. She gave a small laugh and couldn't contain her happiness. It was insignificant for her Hydra handlers, but it was a great thing to her packed with memories.

She would follow the orders of Hydra, well enough, and she would be damn good at it so long as they kept their word. She couldn't wait to wax the horsehair strings and get tuning.

ooo

Hydra Facility

Belgium

1991

 

"Jesus!" Aleksandra barked as she staggered back a few steps. She looked up at her sparing partner with surprise as she grabbed her jaw gingerly. "That one hurt."

"Glad to see at least something does," Hydra handler, coach and only friend in the world Nicodemus Borin, snapped at her. He was clearly enjoying the hit having impacted her. Aleksandra had gotten so fast he could hardly land a hit at all despite his lifetime of combat training behind him.

It stung less knowing she was older than him, even though she'd only been actively fighting for a decade or so off and on. She'd been passed around Hydra cells for years and finally ended up under Dr. Fastus- a friend of Zola. They were finally putting her to active work, not just a pretty thing to be brought out like the fine silver for parties. Borin thought they'd been entirely too easy on her- until he'd got a look at her profile. Lots of torture lied in her past, but you wouldn't know being around her. She was so naturally energetic and mouthy, that it seemed she didn't have a care in the world. It was her defense mechanism.

"Excuse me," Aleksandra whined, "but I can't help it that I got the short end of the stick and got super strength so I can kick your ass."

"This isn't tea time, Devushka. Get your ass in gear." Borin ground out. "We're moving out soon and you're going to be put to the test."

"Moving again?" she growled and looked around. This facility at least had a glass ceiling. "I'll never tan it seems." She sighed wistfully for the sake of her companion.

"You're Russian- a seventy-something year-old Russian at that. You've never tanned a day in your life. And you certainly won't where we're going."

"God you're no fun." She said and moved back into position. "What's the big deal with this mission anyway? Stop shit from going down before it goes down...So what?"

"You don't get it. These assets were injected with a serum. A super serum." He ignored the snicker from across the mats.

"Hello, serum-received person across from you."

"Preliminary results are predicting they're going to be difficult to manage...and there are five of them." Nicodemus continued. "They were also highly trained Hydra assassins before this program."

"Rut ro, Shaggy."

"I very much believe this is going to test your limits, Valkyrie." He said with gritted teeth. "Take this seriously."

"Roger, Nico." She said and took his defeated sigh as acceptance that she wasn't budging. "I'll keep playing 'slap around the Soviet Hydra officer' with you though."

"You're going to get hit again with that mouth, Devushka."

"Sticks and stones, Nicky."

ooo


	3. Chapter 3

Hydra Facilty

Siberia

1991

He heard a keening melody echoing through the huge concrete room. He'd _never_ heard music before in the facility he currently called home. By the looks on the newer assets, they hadn't heard anything like it either. He turned to his handler, Karpov, and saw his brow furrow.

" _Prodolzhat'!_ " He barked in Russian at the doctors who were currently conducting physicals on the assets.

The Soldier hated being near the others, mostly because they were raw and enjoyed fighting more than anything. The difference between himself and them was that while he didn't enjoy killing, he did it well. These five Hydra assassins lived for it and the serum only made it worse.

He spotted the eyes of the more aggressive male, Josef, looking at him as if he was gearing up for a fight. He may have even stood up, but the man suddenly focused on something behind the Soldier's back. All of the assets and even the doctors stopped what they were doing and looked over at the same thing.

Thinking it safe enough, the Soldier turned his head to get a glimpse and locked onto a small female with a lot of red hair left to hang down her back. That would never fly normally, as any female could easily get a handful ripped out of her skull in this place. Who the hell was she?

The female was standing at the gate with a hand on her hip as she surveyed the room. "So these are the guys?" she said to a man he didn't know on her right. His own handler Karpov seemed annoyed and uneasy at her presence.

" _Da_... _Ispugannyy_?" He snapped, as if she were a pest.

" _Sotryaseniye_." She said and looked up at her handler. "Guess we've established that he's an asshole." Before anyone reacted she'd turned around and walked away. It was then he noticed she was carrying an instrument in one hand and she'd grabbed a matching bow with her free hand. Seeing that, he knew the instrument to be a violin. Was she really wandering around playing that thing?

 _In here?_ He thought.

The Soldier turned away with disinterest. What did it matter really? He had a group of dangerous assets to watch after and he was not going to get punished for there actions.

ooo

Things were getting out of hand. The Soldier was getting his ass handed to him and Josef, the one beating him, seemed to be making it personal rather than a simple sparing match. His handler was ignoring the heat behind the punches though. Dimly he heard the gate opening but he was not looking away from his opponent.

Suddenly he got hit _very_ hard in the face and he took a knee from the force. _Fuck_ , he thought and tried to shake it off but as he looked up Josef was rearing back for another hit. Unable to react with his head spinning like it was, the Solider knew he would be knocked out.

But the blow never came.

He looked up, mindful of his swimming vision, and spotted the small woman from a week ago holding Josef's fist in her hand. The man looked shocked, but it quickly gave way to rage. He swung with the other hand but she grabbed that one too with speed that shocked him.

"Would you calm down?" She snapped, but Josef's answer was to head-butt her.

The others were getting riled up by the impending fight and rose to engage, but instead of falling to the floor the female reared up a knee, hitting the asset right in the balls. Predictably, he hit the concrete.

"Serum or not men are all the same." She muttered as she spat blood. The female looked back over her shoulder and down at the Solider still recovering. "Playing fair is for weenies." She whispered conspiratorially and _winked_ at him. He could do nothing but stare at her in confusion. Why was she talking so much if she was in here? How the hell was she acting so freely? Again he though, _In here?_

" _Val'kiriya_!"

The three of them turned at the name and spotted Karpov in the corner looking angry. "What do you think you're doing, _Val'kiriya_?"

"Stopping this asshole from breaking your toys."

At her words the Soldier stood up, a little pissed. He wasn't a goddamn toy and he wasn't going to break. Though he realized the irony of it all the same, it was still annoying.

"That was not _ordered_ for you to do." Karpov barked.

"Huh," she said and lifted an eyebrow. "Well common sense called and said that normally if you see a someone trying to break someone else, you _stop_ them."

The room got very quite and you could taste the rise of energy from the assets. Someone was going to get hurt very, very soon.

ooo

Aleksandra knew she was goading the guy but she couldn't stop the words from falling out of her mouth. Nico was going to be pissed she got a shiner on her first day, sure, but she wasn't about to let the poor guy on the ground get his ass handed to him without doing _something_.

" _Soldat_." Karpov barked suddenly, his eyes fierce as they held her in place.

The guy she'd helped looked over at her in a way that gave her chills. Did she just get in between two heavy weights and thought he was the weaker one? Maybe she'd been wrong...

" _Zastavit' yeye krichat'_."

She didn't even have time to grin at the Russian handler- _who says that? -_ as a cold metal hand gripped her throat and lifted her off her feet. "Fuck!" she yipped, grabbing at his arm. "Y-you jerk!" Her hand couldn't get a good grip on the metal.

Aleksandra glanced over at the Russian asshole that ordered this and tried a grin. " _Vopit'_?" she squeaked as the hand on her neck gripped tighter. "You f-first." She flung out her hand, swiping the Soldier's face with her claws, getting in a fairly deep hit. It surprised him and he relinquished his hold for an instant, which she took advantage of.

She moved so quickly that no one saw her until the handler was against the bars and his neck was in her grip. Blood rolled down over her hand and arm from where her claws were digging in.

Aleksandra took in his shocked look before looking back at the Soldier, who was currently glaring at her with four deep scratches on his face. She smiled and said, "I missed your eyes on purpose, tiger."

The glare she received only made her laugh. "Oh come on you'll heal in like, two seconds..."

" _Valkyrie_." She looked over through the bars and spotted Nicodemus, looking more serious than she'd ever seen. "Drop him. Karpov, tell your dog to back down as well."

She was about to retort but something told her she would regret it- _already_ would regret it. She didn't want to test him further.

Aleksandra allowed herself a pout still and released Karpov. He didn't have far to fall as she was extremely short and didn't hold him up well but he still hit his knees, attempting to inhale as much oxygen as he could before nodding to the Solider. She looked up at her own handler and lifted her eyebrow as if to say, " _happy?_ "

Once Karpov got his voice the two handlers began barking at one another, arguing. She didn't wait for them to finish; she knew she was probably toast _. Just trying to help._ She thought. _Mostly._

Aleksandra stepped over Karpov's legs and waited for the gate to open, which the guards surprisingly did. She turned to take another look at the Soldier she'd scratched and noticed he was already healing. "Told you." She said smugly and left the cell just as she overheard Karpov demand she was punished. Nicodemus had agreed with a sharp reply.

Aleksandra hadn't been punished in a _very_ long time. She was not looking forward to it...

ooo

It was several days before the Solider saw the girl, or _Val'kiriya_ , again. This time she was not smiling. Her hair was frizzy, pulled back into a bun instead of down, and she looked exhausted. He could see remnants of bruising along her temples.

There was muttering by a couple of the five assets down at the other chow table. "Looks like she doesn't have much to say now." If she even heard it didn't seem to faze her.

Just when the Soldier was about to write her off and return to his meal, gold eyes flicked over to met his and they held a moment. Then she smirked at him.

_Stubborn dame..._

He didn't know why that word in particular came to him, but he didn't shake it off. Both suited her.

The gal seemed to perk up after seeing a face she recognized she looked over at her handler. "Hey Nicky," she began, getting a deep sigh from the man. "I get to go outside today, right?"

"It's a goddamn blizzard out, _Devushka_."

"You promised." She said with a pout.

" _Net_." He snapped and pressed her shoulder down, effectively sitting her across from the Solider at his table.

"Manners go a long way you know."

"For all that is holy, Val." The handler hissed and crouched down to her level. He took a glance at the Soldier and must have suspected no threat because he continued, candidly. "You need to contain your mouth. I can't control Karpov; this is his house. If you act like this enough in front of him you'll lose me as your handler. This sector is more than happy to use you as target practice for these assets. Your life will be hell."

She didn't say anything at first, just stared at the sharp nails of her hand lying on the table. "Hell huh?" There was nothing in her eyes; they were dull.

"Come on, _Devushka_. Help me to help you. I'm trying to get you to America after this mission is over."

"Lying is bad, Nicky." She said finally and looked up at the Solider. "I bet he's gotten more time outside than I have in the last-

"Watch just how much information you offer, Val. Even if his brain is wiped regularly."

She frowned at that and looked over at the Soldier with renewed interest. "Seriously?" she said to him. When the Soldier didn't answer she wasn't deterred.

"Well shit." She muttered and put a palm to her head as Nicodemus walked away to get her a tray. His eyes shot to her long nails rubbing the bruise at her temple gingerly. "I hope they don't use a similar tactic to wipe you do like they use for my punishments. They don't like leaving too many marks, you know. Leftover tactic from...before when I was Hydra's _golden girl_."

She seemed to realize she was talking a lot about herself because she shrugged and looked back at him. "Why do they 'wipe' you, like Nico said?"

"You should listen to your handler."

"It speaks!" she squeaked and he glared at her. Quickly she waved it off, "Okay okay, you're serious. But I can handle myself. I'm a big girl."

When he raised an eyebrow at her she smiled warmly. "You're much better company than I thought."

As he returned to his food Nicodemus showed up with her own tray. "Eat, _Devushka_. You need to heal." He murmured and walked away, but not before snapping " _Behave_."

She sighed when he was gone and smiled when she saw a green apple on her plate. "Wonder how he got this in here." She muttered. "So anyway, where are you from? Do you...remember details like that?"

The Soldier sighed and looked around for his own handler. He was not allowed to move before being ordered. When he realized he was stuck with her for a bit, he knew he was going to have to say something.

"I'm from here originally," she began. "From Russia. I'm a _Ruska,_ a gypsy. Or I was. Its been...way too long since I've been part of that life. I still move around a lot though."

"And you play a violin." He murmured, interested in that at least if he was honest with himself.

She nodded. "It's my only cookie at the end of the day. I played a little when I first got here because one of the guards handed me the case. So I opened it. Nicky let me keep it on me if I stopped since we were in a hurry."

The Soldier kept looking at her, so she decided to ask that first question one more time. "Do you remember anything after the wipes?"

His lip twitched like he wanted to say something so she shrugged. "You don't have to talk, but I bet you don't get the option very often." She hoped he'd say something at that...and it took a moment but he finally answered.

"Not much."

She frowned. "I wonder if you'd remember my name...if I told you." He didn't answer. "Do you have a name?"

"No."

"Well," she began, "I guess I'll share mine then. Aleksandra...but you can't tell anyone. Not even Nicky knows it."

He looked down at the table and it seemed like he was thinking.

She poked a nail into her apple absentmindedly and found herself saying quietly, "Nona used to call me "

The screeching of a heavy metal door interrupted her and Karpov was seen beelining for the cell where the other assets were being herded. " _Soldat_!" he barked without looking and the Soldier rose from his seat instantly.

She watched him stand but she _swore_ she heard his gruff voice mutter, " _Aleks_ ," just before he left.

ooo

 

Translations:

 _Prodolzhat'-_ Continue

 _Ispugannyy_ _?-_ Frightened _?_

 _Sotryaseniye -_ Shaking _._

 _Zastavit' yeye krichat' –_ Make her scream _._

 _Vopit'? –_ Scream?

Oh and _Devushka_ means "girl"


	4. Chapter 4

If you're interested, find _Ghost Song_ , by Max Ablitzer. It is on iTunes (free I think) and you can find it on YouTube as well.

ooo

Hydra Facility

Siberia

1991

It was late and the Soldier was finally ordered to his room despite the fact the he rarely slept. He could never fully relax when he was shut in there, in the dark. It was boring, but it was also the only time he was allotted to himself whenever he was out of the ice. He assumed that his time to freeze was coming once more. He'd retrieved the serum, killed the witnesses and awaited whatever his handler had planned for the assets- and thusly himself.

Lately his normally silent time alone was not so silent. _If she didn't cause any trouble that day,_ he thought with a ghost of a smile on his face. He couldn't help but admire her spirit, even if she was stupid about her choices. He'd learned long ago to stop resisting the orders of his handlers.

As if on cue, that high keening of the violin rolled along the cold walls of the cell and down through his bones. It was a comfortable chill. Some nights she'd have a lively tune that may or may not sound familiar and sometimes she played a classic he recognized. He thought funny how music wasn't taken from his memories.

Tonight though, she played something that sounded extremely tragic. He wondered what the song was called as he listened. He didn't notice his shoulders sagging and his spine relaxing as he lied on his back.

His eyes got heavy and his last thought before he feel asleep was that she would need to keep her mouth shut tomorrow. He'd overheard Karpov saying they were testing just how hard the assets could fight and the Soldier had no doubt the Valkyrie- _Aleks_ \- would be thrown in as well if she enraged the handler any further.

ooo

She was getting angry just watching the fight. It reminded her all too much of her beatings; the ones intended to kill her. It looked like the monster Josef was trying to do just that as he fought the Soldier. She didn't understand the science behind either one of them- hell she didn't know her own- but she just couldn't fathom how the guy could hit so hard, let alone the fact that the Soldier could take it without going down.

"How are either of them not dead? Look at the goddamn metal _table_ they destroyed." She said to Nicodemus. He'd told her to shut the hell up this morning. Now she understood.

If Aleksandra went in there right now, she wouldn't be able to heal from that kind of fight for a week considering the intensity. It was one thing to spare with a normal man, multiple black belts or not. It was a completely different beast considering these men before her were the results of experiments. _And the poor table_ , she mused.

Suddenly the fight took a turn. Where the Solider was able to stand his own all this time, Josef got some deep hits in, even overpowering that metal arm, before he kicked him into the glass wall near herself and Nicodemus.

"Holy fuck," she murmured and watched Karpov start clapping.

"Good work." He said and ignored his Soldier on the ground once again. Annoyed, Aleksandra started to cross over to him and ignored the swipe at her arm by her handler.

"Anything broken? Besides your ego?" She said quickly as she crouched and felt his eyes on her. "I know you're glaring at me but just let me help your ass up, okay? You're not light." She wouldn't have struggled much but it got him on his feet faster. She didn't trust Josef, which was why she was watching him now.

The guy looked absolutely revved for another fight and she didn't think goading him would be a good idea. She could tell the Soldier was tense behind her; he must have felt that same. Before any of them could decide what to do, a doctor wandered up to Josef's side to take vitals.

A wild look grew in the assassin's eyes and he reached up, grabbing the doctor by the neck. The man's scream echoed throughout the room before he was slammed into the floor and silenced. Chaos erupted around them.

The Soldier grabbed his handler as soon as he was ordered and started pulling him out while Aleksandra worried about dodging an incoming hit from the bearded assassin who came out of fucking nowhere. She got a sharp hit to her abdomen and knew one of her lower ribs was broke, but she retaliated quickly and kicked the bastard back a few feet.

With a little air again, she moved toward the exit with Nicodemus. "Go, _Devuska_! Keep moving. Ignore the others!" He snapped when he spotted her slow to watch the guards and doctors getting pummeled to death. "You can't help them."

They'd nearly made it to the door when she spotted Josef coming right for them. She moved her foot back to brace herself but she was shoved hard from the side and fell toward the door.

A solid hand gripped her shoulder and Aleksandra found herself being dragged through the entrance. Belatedly she spotted Nicodemus and the purely resolute look on his face. "No!" she shouted as the metal slammed shut behind her. The woman flew to her feet and shook the bars as she watched her handler getting ganged up on by two of the assets at once.

Nicodemus dodged their hits at first but it was clear to her they were only toying with him. "Let me in!" Aleksandra demanded, tears pricking her eyes and felt the same heavy hand that dragged her out land on her shoulder. She knew it was the Soldier. "He's going to be hurt!" she snapped without looking away from Nicodemus. It was then she saw the female asset prowling up behind him.

"Nico, your back!" She cried out but the sound of his neck snapping shocked her silent and her jaw stopped working. Nicodemus' knees hit the floor the same moment her own did and a sob left her throat. She found herself staring into the lifeless eyes of her handler and friend. He was the only person who looked out for her now. One of her only friends in her long, lonely life.

Finally she looked up and saw the sickly satisfied looks of the assets. And when Josef stepped forward and spat on Nico's body? She saw red.

Aleksandra felt rather than saw her claws growing as they dug in her palms and the tickle in the back of her throat was her only warning before she took a deep breath to scream.

Glass shattered all around them and everyone still living threw their hands to their ears. It felt right to do this and when she opened her eyes to see the effect she felt joy as blood ran from the ears of the sadistic assets.

When she finally stopped she realized she'd incapacitated everyone, but she'd at least hurt those fuckers the most. With her adrenaline plummeting she couldn't control the sob ripped from her chest. She felt weight on her shoulder and turned, shocked to see the Soldier still held onto her. He was watching her closely, but he also had a look in his eyes that looked incredibly human. More so than she'd ever seen from him so far.

"You're gonna be alright, sweetheart." He said quietly, with his voice hinting at an accent.

Aleksandra didn't have the chance to react to him before the butt of a rifle came down onto the back of her head and her world went black.

ooo

 


	5. Chapter 5

ooo

Aleksandra woke in a straight jacket with a gag in her mouth. The death of the nerves on her ass told her she'd been in the chair for a very long time. She looked up, head pounding, and her eyes landed on Karpov and the Soldier. He looked different.

 _He looks fucking upset_ _for gods sake_ , she thought. It made her feel a little better that she might not have dreamed his very human reaction from before.

Karpov stopped his writing when he spotted her movement and snapped at the Soldier to untie her gag. He moved fast as usual, but there was a different gait than he'd had before. He crouched before her and reached behind her head to undo the ties.

"You okay, sweetheart?" he whispered so quietly she thought she'd imagined it. When the gag fell away her jaw protested.

She didn't trust her voice so she just nodded at his question and met his eyes, hoping to convey it there too. She looked up to Karpov, saw he was still busy, and then back to him. She clearing her throat and gave speaking a try. "Thank you."

"Sure thing." He said and stood, remaining there.

She smiled at what he was doing. He hadn't been ordered to do anything so he seemed to be staying there on purpose, blocking her. She took advantage.

"Give me a name," she whispered. He furrowed his brow and looked at the wall. She didn't get to encourage him because he was ordered to stand to the side. It was game time, she thought.

Karpov stepped forward and sighed. "Its no secret I dislike you, _Val'kiriya._ "

"A girl loves honesty." She said, her voice a bit scratchy. She spotted the Soldier behind him actually smirking at her. What the _hell_ did her scream do to him? Whatever it was, she liked this Soldier a lot.

"Your handler is dead, _Val'kiriya_ , as you clearly witnessed." Karpov ground out, gaining her full attention once more. "I was ordered to hand you back to another organization within Hydra once you were done here and since our other assets are now inactive your stay here is done." Karpov said and uncrossed his arms. "The facility you're going to is in Sokovia. I hear they are starting... _experimentations_." He said with a smirk as she paled.

_Oh god..._

"The Winter Solider is going to watch you until your new handlers arrive in a couple of minutes. Get any ideas during that time, he's been ordered to incapacitate you. You don't want a broken leg for your trip?" She grit her teeth as he backed away with a triumphant grin. "Ah, silence! I should have threatened you with pain earlier... _Devushka_."

" _Fuck you!_ " she screamed, her voice cracking. She could feel her eyes welling with hot tears and she tried desperately to hold them back.

"You've had a rough week, _Val'kiriya_ , so I'll allow that one." Karpov snapped as he left the room.

Her head slumped down and she couldn't stop the tears from falling. Why couldn't she catch a break? She missed Nicodemus so much. She could use his no-nonsense attitude to reel in her emotions. "Stupid Nico! So stupid," She whispered and tried to calm down.

" _Bucky_."

Aleksandra heard him speak from across the room. "What?" she said as she looked up.

"I think...my name is Bucky. Bucky Barnes." He said, eyes swamped with emotions. "Its hard to focus on though."

"Bucky Barnes," she repeated with a watery smile. "I guess you're the only friend I've got in the world. Nice to have a name for him."

"Same here, doll." He said. " _Aleks_ , I mean."

She couldn't help but let out a laugh. "You sound like the young _Gadjo_ men who tried to hit on all the _Ruska_ girls when we went into a town...saying doll and stuff." She frowned when she considered how different this conversation was from their first. "How are you so...normal right now anyway?"

"I don't know about that, but I kinda remember this happening before." He said and looked down at his metal hand. "But they always...start over. And it gets harder to remember."

She frowned. "This clarity...it doesn't happen often then."

"No."

Aleksandra noticed him straighten suddenly and his face grew serious once more. She'd also heard the sound of footsteps growing closer from down the hall. "Guess this is goodbye then." She said and dared to ask, "Think you might remember me?" It sounded a little desperate, but she wanted to know.

"Don't worry about it." He said and she watched him tap his head. "You're stuck here, sweetheart."

Aleksandra knew he was just trying to make her feel better but she couldn't help the silly smile on her face- or the blush from building. _God my face feels hot..._ She couldn't remember the last time she was flustered like this because of a man, or if she ever had."You're a smooth one, Barnes." She said and leaned back into the metal chair.

He didn't have the chance to respond as the door opened at his back. Karpov entered first with a man in his late twenties or early thirties. He was wearing a monocle and her first thought was that she was going to get into some huge trouble with her mouth. She already had to bite her tongue to keep from saying something.

" _Val'kiriya_ ," Karpov snapped, "Met your handler, Baron von Strucker. He'll be taking control of you from this moment."

"Please, Vasili," Strucker said with the wave of his hand as he stepped forward. "I'd like for her to think of me as someone she can trust. After all, she'll be assisting me with my experimentations." He looked at her to say, "Think of me as a colleague, Valkyrie."

When he was finished speaking two guards moved up to pull her to her feet. "Not to worry, we'll be removing that jacket soon." Strucker continued as he stepped forward to inspect her face. "Vasili here believes you should remain in it despite the fact that the collar you have on would be more than sufficient to contain any outburst." He sent a dark look to the Russian who shrugged carelessly.

"I'd rather her be like this."

Strucker looked annoyed but chose to ignore him after that. "We need to know more of your abilities, Valkyrie. But not to worry, you won't be a lab rat. We have a use for you already lined up."

"Can't wait." Aleksandra said dryly but if Strucker heard the sarcasm he didn't react. He waved his hand and the guards pushed her to follow.

"Let us get going then. "

The loose hands pulling her obviously weren't worried about her rebelling. When she was about to pass Bucky, she veered out of their grasp to stand in front of him. She was clearly pushing her luck, but it was worth it especially when he spotted Strucker shrug and leave the room.

Aleksandra stood well below his height and she had to lean back a little to catch his eye. "Bucky," she said and thought she heard his metal hand grind a bit as he fidgeted. Before she could think twice, she crushed her torso to his knowing full well she couldn't complete the hug with her arms strapped tight in the jacket. Just when was about to move back with red cheeks, she heard him mutter, " _Fuck them_ ," and both his arms flew up to crush her to his chest.

It was the most amazing feeling for two individuals who couldn't remember their last voluntary human contact. It was just a hug, but it meant the world to her and tears welled up again. The guards keep back but Karpov was heard clearing his through.

"Separate them."

Aleksandra leaned back out of Bucky's bear hug to meet his eyes one last time. "Don't forget me." She was ripped from his grip forcefully and pulled out of the room, watching him until he was out of sight.

"Don't hold your breath, _Val'kiriya._ " Karpov said as he followed in a cheerful voice that grated on her nerves. "The Soldier remembers no one. Sometimes he knows his old name, yes, but we burn that away a little more each time." Karpov said as he watched with satisfaction as her face fell. " _Da_. We know something's jogged his memory but don't worry. He'll be back to normal very soon."

Aleksandra had no words for him as they started dragging her down the hall again. She was facing resolutely forward, ignoring the curious look tossed at by her new Hydra boss until she heard activity behind them.

" _Soldat! Pora_."

She struggled to turn her head, heard Strucker allow it before they let her. Down the hall she saw Bucky following Karpov. They stopped when a guard brought out a case from around the corner- _her_ violin case.

"No," she whispered as the latches were opened and the Russian handler lifted her beautiful instrument out. He looked down the hall, making sure she saw him, before he swung it against the wall.

The strings snapped and wood crumpled, making a last thrum of sound before it hit the ground. Karpov turned away with a smug look before ordering his asset to follow once more. To her surprise, Bucky slowed and dipped down to swipe something up from the rubble of the violin. He didn't look at his hand but he did turn back to see her watching him.

He winked and she _knew_ he'd grabbed the locket she'd stashed decades before. It was the one thing they'd kept from her original intake file back in 1938. Zola had put it in the package of clothes that first day she was allowed outside all those years ago.

She turned then and looked at Strucker. "I'm ready to follow."

He nodded and led the way, yammering about some things he expected. She halfway listened. She was too preoccupied with the locket. The silver trinket had been her Nona's and she placed Aleksandra's photo from the 30's inside. It was one of the only things they grabbed before getting herded out of their home by the Gestapo.

Despite being in a straightjacket and that she was going to another prison with yet another handler, there was a little skip to her step. Bucky, her soldier, now had a locket with her photo inside. He may just remember her after all.

ooo

 


	6. Chapter 6

Hydra Research Base

Sokovia, Eastern Europe

2015

Somehow Aleksandra had become a glorified baby sitter and to be honest, it rankled when she thought about it. She was in her 90's for god's sake. They should be baby-sitting _her._ Besides, the twins were staring to grate on her nerves a bit. Granted she didn't dislike them, and she tried to remind herself- even when they acted like angst-ridden teens- that they had a pretty shitty lot in life. Yet with all they endured, they didn't chose to sit down and take it for the rest of their lives. They volunteered for the experiments to take revenge on the person who hurt them. Aleksandra could admire that.

"Valkyrie," she heard and looked over at Strucker who was busy with his console. "Check on the twins would you? We have company."

She raised a dubious eyebrow. The man was kind of like putty when she thought of him compared to the many Hydra officers and handlers she'd interacted with. He was just a nerd, but a nerd with a lot of power. She didn't chose to ignore his question for what it was- an order. "And you didn't warn me ahead of time...what will I wear?"

"The Avengers are practically at our doors but we have plans to keep them at bay." He rattled on, ignoring her. "Make sure the twins are safe."

"You realize Pietro will go where he pleases."

" _Now_ , Valkyrie." He snapped and walked away quickly.

Her debt to him for allowing her those few precious minutes with Bucky had long since been paid back. The guy seriously needed to get his power trip under wraps. It'd been growing since he'd taken her to Sokovia over two decades ago and his experiments were getting more successful. Aleksandra was the first charge he'd ever been given by Hydra, which placed her as a pet in his eyes. She thought he was fairly harmless at first. A couple years later she started to push a little more with her attitude, see how far she could get. One day she pushed too hard and she pissed him off.

Aleksandra had finally experienced the strength of that relic of a collar she wore and it certainly hadn't lost its potency. She was out for days, curled up on her cot nursing the burns on her neck with ice from the barred windows. In her delirium of pain she remembered him saying, "I'm pleased your head is still on your shoulders. Next time you disobey, we will test it further."

From that day on she still pushed, just not as hard. She also forced herself to think things through before speaking...for the most part. So it had been several years of ignorance at first, but because of that incident she finally needed the reminder: a gilded cage was still a cage. Despite her lot she knew she certainly didn't have it as bad as her Solider. She wished she knew where he was and how he was fairing.

"Aleksa?"

At her name, she turned to look at Wanda waiting in the corridor. As usual her brother was there by her side, shadow on shadow.

" _Devushka_." Aleksandra said, using the endearment she'd been given decades before. _If Nicky could see me now...he'd poke fun._ She pretty much had his job after all. He'd call it divine justice for all the crap she pulled. "You heard Strucker. Neither of you are to get involved in this shit or it'll be my ass."

"You think the Avengers won't get in here?" Wanda asked as Pietro scoffed at that.

"You're foolish to think they won't. Look at what happened in New York. Look at what _Stark_ has." He sneered. "They'll get in, but that shouldn't mean we can't make it harder for them."

They only heard information about the team of fighters through the crappy news they got, always _months_ after the fact. Wi-Fi was pretty damn scarce in a forested Hydra castle and they didn't exactly get newspapers delivered to their doorstep. Hell she'd never even used a goddamn cell phone...except that one time she got to play candy crush.

Aleksandra sighed and felt her claws lengthen to punk the twerp. "You don't like Strucker anymore than I do, Peeps. And you're certainly not loyal to Hydra."

Wanda's eyes started glowing red, something Aleksandra hated. It often meant she was going digging. "Knock it off, _Devushka_."

"You could be free, Aleksa." Wanda said as her eyes returned to green. She'd seen Bucky again, of course and she sure loved to press that reminder. "You could find your soldier."

Aleksandra didn't dare hope. He was either buried in the ice somewhere or at another base- there were _hundreds_. "Stop it. You know Hydra would be after me. Us. _All_ of us." She snapped as she turned. "You don't _get away_ from them."

"Well as fun as this pity party is, I got to run." Pietro barked and was gone.

"That little shit!" Aleksandra growled and turned to look at Wanda who had a determined expression. "Oh come on! Just ignore that butthead for a minute and chill here with me while we wait out the winner. I got a stash of hot cocoa and _Kill Bill_." She was not below bribery.

"Stark is _here_ , Aleksa. We can get our revenge."

Aleksandra sighed and looked around the room _. Goddamnit I'm gonna have to follow her._ She looked down. _May need shoes._ "You just have to tug on my heartstrings, _Devushka_. You know how I prefer revenge served on a hot plate."

She heard Wanda's little laugh, the most she usually got out of her, before she moved into an alcove to her 'bedroom'. In there she had a tiny television where she watched dvds until she fell asleep and also a small collection of real clothing, not fatigues she'd always been put in.

Aleksandra snagged some boots to shove on and looked at Wanda standing by the curtain. "If they get in," she warned, "nothing will be the same."

"I'm counting on it." Wanda snarled as her eyes glowed again.

"You're a scary little brat sometimes, you know that?" Aleksandra murmured as she finished pulling on the boots. "Let's go, half pint."

"You're one to talk, Aleksa, you're shorter than I." Wanda snipped.

"That may be true, but I'm also a lot older than you." She said before they moved through the building to get into a strategic position.

ooo

Aleksandra got a front row seat in watching Strucker get his ass handed to him by Captain America himself. That stupid monocle even broke off! She snickered and the guy glanced her way before she slammed the door shut and bolted after Wanda.

He didn't chase her _Thank god!_ and she made it safely down to where the big mech-looking whale was hooked up and the glowing scepter thing was kept. She spotted Wanda fiddling with the mind of the guy she recognized from the news as Tony Stark, aka the Maximoff twin's number one name on their revenge list.

She sighed and let the kid play with her toy. As she was watching Wanda got spooked and rushed back to stand close to Aleksandra. Wordlessly the elder female put an arm around the other. "What did you see?"

"The end of the world." What the hell do you say to that?

"Heavy." She replied with a nod. They watched as Stark stuck his hand out and they felt Pietro pop up at their backs.

"You're just going to let him take it?"

She didn't need to see Wanda's grin as the billionaire snagged the scepter in his armored hand. "Why couldn't you guys be interested in something wholesome like battleship or something?"

ooo

It actually took some extreme willpower on her part not to follow Wanda and Pietro on their quest for revenge. However, the young woman encouraged her to run, be free, and her brother had surprising supported it.

"Go, _Mătuşă_." He said and Aleksandra bit her fist dramatically, turned her head.

" _Auntie?_ Oh Peeps, you do love me."

He tried not to smirk, tried to roll his eyes, but she got him. "Come on, Aleksa, you have a choice now. Take it."

"Having a choice isn't something I'm used to, kid." She said and smiled at them. "Go. Don't worry about me. I'll ghost around here for a minute and get some useful tech. Make sure I got all my Seinfeld dvds..."

She got them to leave thinking she had a plan even though that was far from the truth. "Fuck me." She murmured as she wandered the halls empty of guards and doctors. She'd never been free to roam on her own. Hell, she half expected someone to pop out and go, "Shit, I knew I forgot something!"

First she went to her cubby and gathered her clothing into a bag. Besides clothes and shoes she really didn't have much. She looked in the mirror and wondered. There was no jewelry about her like she had before Hydra. Maybe she'd look out for something shiny and noisy. Her eyes weren't kohled and she had no lipstick either, but maybe she'd change that too?

She sighed and went out into the main room to salvage some gear. It was stupid to imagine luxuries like that when Bucky was probably still suffering somewhere. She had to find him but she didn't know how. She'd never used a computer and the ones she could try to get into required fingerprint ids. Too bad the important people were imprisoned; she could use a hand.

While snickering at her shitty joke she grabbed a few things like guns, knives and some tricky do-hickie thing she didn't understand. But they were portable and looked interesting so into her bag they went.

Aleksandra's ears pricked suddenly and she crouched down, plastering herself beneath the back of a desk.

" _There are no strings on me!_ "

"Oh my fucking god, what kind of monsters are they?" Aleksandra whined. She wasn't going to wait to find out. A map was hanging across from her hiding place and she readily located this base by the big red skull stamped into it. Sokovia...and Romania was just to the right. She was born there, at least from what Nona told her. Her group had lived in Russia for most of her life though, up until they'd made the poor decision to move down into Europe once again.

 _Romania_ , _huh_...

If she went that way it would move her further from this place at the very least. She could make some money like any other Roma to help her move along. More importantly, heading to Romania would take her closer to Siberia. _To Bucky_.

"Fuck it."

Aleksandra moved quickly and silently, quite thankful for her abilities as she dropped from the third story window and took off at a sprint.

ooo

 


	7. Chapter 7

ooo

Romania

2016

It had taken Aleksandra an embarrassingly long amount of time to even make it across the border into Romania. She had no papers, no identification and she wasn't wise in the ways of sneaking or breaking into countries. It was a steep learning curve being on the run.

Often she went without food, though she didn't need to eat for survival. Really she just loved food. Unfortunately she knew from experience that not eating slowed her healing factor, which she needed quite often. As far as grace went, Aleksandra was missing that trait. She'd gotten caught in barbed wire repeatedly and was scraped up by trees and rocks daily.

Usually she had to choose between a warm bed or food. Often she didn't have money or the ability to have either, so she'd slept outside more often than not. Stealing, however, came back to her naturally. She'd had a light hand since birth but she'd learned early on that Hydra goons tended to have two things in their pockets: loose change or condoms, which she thought was a bit too hopeful on their part. So there was no point to steal from them. Now she needed money and stealing for survival didn't cause her to lose any sleep.

Eventually Aleksandra ran into some good people. Hippies, she wanted to call them and mostly because of what she knew from films. They were extremely generous and trusting and not one of them tried to grab her ass. That was good because she knew from experience that collecting hands was messy business.

They also offered to bring her along to the next largest city, which was Bucharest. She jumped at that offer because there was the Carpathian mountain range to go over and she didn't want to test her luck hiking that. The only price was that she had to be useful and play in their band to contribute gas money. They had two available instruments: a tambourine or a violin.

"Thank god." she muttered when she noticed the violin really just needed strings. In the next small town she asked them to stop and they got lucky to find a pawn store with tons of items, including what she was looking for. Thankfully someone let her borrow some money and she snagged the strings and wax for the bow hairs. She got to repairing the instrument fast and was happy to hear when the dime-store violin actually produced good sound.

She'd make enough money to repay her debt easily.

ooo

The Winter Soldier stepped around the market as casually as he could even though his back was ramrod straight. Sundays were usually busy but not nearly as bad as a Saturday or Friday when everyone was paid. He could deal with it.

Some people were mulling around the common square where local artists or traveling groups would play music. It was too open for him and he never stopped to see what was going on. He passed by that area quickly and headed to the fruit stand. He eyed the jerky vendor on the way but he didn't have enough money for that, of course. A little fresh produce amidst all the junk food was probably a good thing though.

He grabbed a few items and paid, then headed back out again. He was about to pass by the common area when he heard some drums and the keening of a violin. He didn't know why but the sound of it had him stopping in his tracks and he absentmindedly rubbed the place where a necklace hid under his shirt. Something triggered his memories, told him to investigate. He must have heard that melody somewhere.

Bucky moved to the safest place he could find, which wasn't very safe at all and spotted the troupe. They all looked raggedy, like a hippie road tour would, but they were good. They already had some decent money building up in their guitar case by the looks of it and it was only midmorning.

The song that had drug him over seemed to have ended but they were gearing up again. _Took to long to get here_ , he thought with annoyance. He wished he'd been able to feel safe out there but it had taken time and he lost out. Just when started to leave the violinist began another song. He turned and spotted her, a short redhead with long hair that reached her lower back. She wore various braids and beads throughout it. As she stung out a very long note, her bare foot moved outward from below her cotton skirt like a dancer. _Gypsy_ , he thought.

The woman started some drawn out notes and turned slowly, her eyes following her fingers on the neck of the violin. The momentum picked up with drums beats and two of the other females offering vocals to match the pace. Her eyes lifted to peruse the crowd and he realized he'd been holding his breath. Why was he holding his breath?

It might have been better if he hadn't taken one because when she met his eyes he felt like he got punched in the stomach. The woman was clearly affected too as she missed a note though she recovered quickly before she looked back at her group, then right back to him. Its like she was drinking in the sight, from his head to his toes. His head hurt as he felt it working to remember.

Bucky knew her, but not _who_ she was. His mind was in shambles so it wasn't a surprise, just a tragic annoyance. His brain was barely held together by his extensive journal collection of any and every memory he could salvage. He saved everything, even the horrible deeds he'd done. But this woman wasn't in them. Her face though...

He rubbed his chest where the locket sat. He knew her face so well it was burned into his memory...how could he ever not know it.

ooo

Aleksandra's claws curled over the bow and the neck of the violin as she struggled hard to maintain her pace of the song. She looked back to signal the lead, Jon, that she was going to shorten it. He gave her an understanding nod but a strange look nonetheless. It didn't fucking matter. Bucky was _right_ _here_. She was sure that it was really him over there looking lost.

He looked weary, wearing a hat and worn civilian clothing but it was her solider. She wanted to run at him that moment but she knew she'd cause a scene, which neither of them needed. Anybody could notice them in a big city and though they were plain enough he was a tall, very built man and she was memorable with her long hair at least. Someone could be bribed and remember. They were wanted Hydra assets after all; the reward would be there if someone looked.

Finally she neared the end of the song but she refused to look away from him. If he walked she was going to fucking bolt after him, but she needn't have worried. By the way he was staring back he was going nowhere. So she relaxed just a tad and smiled at him.

ooo

 _I think she fucking knows me_ , he thought. She was smiling right at him and was not looking away. He should have been on edge. He should have fucking been gone within the crowd by now, but he couldn't move. He didn't want to. If there was even a chance she was for real he would take all the risk.

After what seemed like an eternity the song finally ended and the woman basically tossed the violin to another group member before she ran over. She ducked through a couple people clapping for the troupe, ignoring everyone around her before she stood right at his chest. As she looked up into his face he noted her eyes were amber, practically gold up close. He knew them so well but he didn't know how.

"Hey you," she said breathlessly.

Every single instinct told him that this was right and she was safe. "Hey," he returned, his voice weak. He knew he should have added her name or something but he didn't have it. Luckily she didn't seem bothered that he hadn't said it yet.

"Deju vu, huh?" She smiled brightly and put a hand to her hair. Black polish coated the nails and several rings adorned her fingers; there was no wedding band, he noticed. "Holy _shit_ , Bucky!"

There was that name again. _His_ name. She really did know who he was. "You um," he shifted the weight on his feet and looked away to scan the area. "You know me."

"I do. Very fondly actually." She said. "Oh, you have something of mine, I think."

The locket. He rubbed his chest again and looked into her eyes with reluctance. He must have portrayed his feelings on giving it back because she laughed. It was nice to hear.

"I'm not gonna take it. It's yours now."

Bucky gave a nervous laugh, unsure of what to do. In all honesty he just wanted to pull her into a hug but he didn't even know how close they were. Would she slap the shit out of him for that?

She reached for his arm suddenly, the metal one, but was interrupted by someone calling for her. He just about snatched her back behind him, but he realized she knew the person. Threat lowered.

One of guys in her troupe had stepped up. "Hey Val, here's your violin." He said, as she took it reluctantly.

"Are you sure, Jon?"

"Who the hell is gonna know how to play that for our next player pick-up? Plus you fixed it up all on your own. Oh yeah and we went ahead and divided the money from this gig. It looks like you found someone to move on with anyway?" The guy sounded interested in her answer.

She turned and looked up at Bucky, eyes questioning. He noticed her nails were growing into literal claws around the violin she clutched. Somehow he understood that was normal for her, but it also signaled something. Emotion? _She's nervous_.

"That's right." Bucky said suddenly and threw an arm over her shoulder. "Found her." It was more personality that he felt comfortable giving but the conspiratorial smile she sent his way was bright and told him it was the right choice.

"He did." She added and moved her free hand to wrap around him as well. "I've been looking for this guy for a long time." She gave him a light squeeze.

"Oh! Well, um, I'm really happy for you! I'll let the others know, just don't forget your stuff, hon." Jon said and left them with a wave.

Bucky's shoulders instantly relaxed and he felt her struggling not to laugh. "Val isn't your name," he whispered at the top of her head and she looked up from under his arm. She seemed comfortable there.

"You're right." Aleksandra whispered back and untangled her arm from around him. "I guess I'll grab my things. I uh, don't suppose you have somewhere to stay?"

Bucky nodded and watched her blush as she tried to get up the courage to outright ask him to go with. He figured he'd save her the trouble instead of watching her squirm. "It's not much but you can stay with me."

Her look of relief was almost comical and she laughed. "Thank you, Bucky. I'll just get my stuff real quick." He didn't reply as she darted over, though he didn't let her get too far before he followed. She grabbed one duffle bag of things, was hugged by various members of the group and got handed a wad of cash.

"That's all of it, Val."

"Thank you guys. Good luck!" With that her road trip days were over for the time being and she turned around. "Ready?"

Bucky handed her his packet of fruit. "Trade you." He said before grabbing the bag from her shoulder.

"Oh! Ha, thanks." The blush had returned and he couldn't help stop a smirk as she tried to look like it didn't faze her.

He led the way to his apartment complex quickly, making sure she was always close by. Finally he relaxed a shade when they made it indoors and she followed closely, carrying the violin and food while he had her bag. When he made it to his door he stopped. He still didn't have her name.

"Bucky?"

He probably looked unsure but he needed to know. "I uh...I know your face so well. But..."

"My name is Aleksandra." She said, "My Nona had a nickname for me that she used- you used it too."

" _Aleks_." He said so fast he almost interrupted her. "You're Aleks."

ooo

When Bucky let her into the apartment he looked a little embarrassed by both the quality of it and the mess but she didn't notice or care. "Like I said," he murmured, "not much."

"I think it's just fine." Aleksandra said and set her violin down on the counter while he set her bag on the floor. Besides it wasn't like she ever had a place of her own, so she had no place to judge. She noticed the bed in the corner and moved over to flop down cross-legged before patting the spot beside her. "Wanna talk?"

Even though Bucky had talked more in the past hour than he had in the whole month he wasn't going to say no. He did as she asked and sat with his back to the wall.

"Do you remember much?" she asked. "I know that's kind of loaded right off the bat."

"No," he said. "It's fine." He saw she'd brought the bag of fruit and so he opened it hand took a plum mostly to do something with his hands. "I remember your face more than anything. I hadn't dreamed much of you. All the bad stuff comes at night. You come in tiny flashbacks that are hard to hold onto. Only now that you're here I can put some things together...Like, I remember those fatigues they put you in that drowned you. You didn't look like _that."_

She decided he looked very attractive with a smirk. "Well, they had no taste in fashion you know."

"I saw you cry once." Bucky continued. "Your nails are pretty damn sharp too." He mimed a slash to his face.

"You kind of had it coming."

"I also remember you got in trouble a lot."

"Who me?"

"Yep," he said quickly. "I probably remembered that easiest."

"Jerk," Aleksandra muttered without heat. "So how long have you been here?"

"Not long." He said, avoiding it. "What about you? What happened? All I remember is the facility in Siberia. And nothing after that for you."

"I was sent to Sokovia." She began, "I was there since last year. It was...a bit over 20 years I think."

"Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack." She said and saw his incredulity. "I'm 'enhanced' I guess they'd call me now, but it's pretty damn complicated. I'll tell you more later on. For now, you look extremely beat."

Bucky was but he was happy to sit there with someone for once and not be fearful of an attack. He was happy to be with right where he was. Trusting her was easy and it felt normal to do so. "I'll be fine," he began. He wanted to know more about Aleks and his memories.

"Nah uh," She snapped, "Lie down."

He grumbled but obeyed and she smiled down at him. "It's been a really long time, Bucky, and I'll warn you I kind of put you on a pedestal."

He grinned and put his arms behind his head. "Oh yeah?"

"Yep, which is why I'm gonna lay here and hug the shit out of you while you're going to accept it." And she did just that before he could react, tucking her head under his arm and throwing a hand over his chest.

His metal arm lowered down and rested on her shoulders before he could even question the action. "Okay by me, sweetheart."

He didn't see her smile but he didn't need to. He had one of his own.

ooo

_So much fluff your eyes might burn! Hope you enjoyed it, things are going to ramp up! thank you for the comments and kudos!!_


	8. Chapter 8

ooo

Aleksandra led the way through the market while Bucky maintained a firm grip on her hand. He had no clue how the hell she remained so calm in the crowded city. Though he knew it was because she wasn't hardened as he was, it still shocked him. Aleks looked at everything, though she focused on colors and people in ways he did not. When he wasn't scanning hiding spots or potential sniper's nest he was watching her.

From the way she dragged him he had a good view to watch her hips sway beneath the cotton skirt. Though she was petite, she was also curvaceous and it distracted from his need to remain alert. Good for them she wore a jacket over her tank top or their safety would have been compromised even further. For some reason it was extremely alluring to see her in civilian clothing, though considering he hadn't really seen her like that before it shouldn't have surprised him.

Over the past two days they'd spent all of their time together. She was content to lay about the apartment with him, though she had asked to have the door open so she could hear things and look out over the city. It was relaxing and easy being with her.

Their chemistry was strong, which they realized quickly being in such close quarters. That first night she'd taken a shower and had to borrow one of his shirts, which dwarfed her. Aleks came tiptoeing out of the bathroom in it and he felt like he needed to see her in his clothes again.

That night she'd snuggled against him again and they continued to sleep like that for the next week. One thing, which surprised him, was that he found himself resting much better than he had in a long time. He couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten more than two consecutive hours of sleep, but something about lying with Aleksandra made it possible. If she started yawning in the afternoon, she'd drag him down with for a nap and he found himself asleep when he sure as hell didn't think he was tired. Hours later he'd wake with her back against his chest.

The past week was probably the best of his life. Certainly it was the best he could remember.

Aleks had stopped moving through the crowd and zeroed in on the jerky stand. " _Need_." She muttered and weaved through, losing his grip in the process.

Bucky didn't panic, but he couldn't help the jump of his heart rate. When he reached her at the stand he pulled her into his side with a hand on her waist. She looked momentarily surprised but returned her attention to the options before her. "They have bear meat? Who the hell goes and hunts that?" The owner promptly offered her a sample.

Bucky sighed thankfully. Having her still, distracted and practically shoved into his chest did much for his sanity and he was able to scan around the area once more. It seemed safe enough for now, but he was getting more claustrophobic as they lingered.

Aleksandra seemed to have trouble conveying herself to the stall owner so he found himself being her translator. "Are you sure you want to spend your money on this?" he asked, knowing the cost and that her money was dwindling.

"Of course! Meat is a _necessity_." Hell, she'd practically purred after that sample. "I don't know how much it is, but I want some." She said. "I need like, two pounds."

"Two?" he repeated and she nodded.

With a sigh he looked up and gave the order while the owner looked at the two of them. The price was lower than he'd been given before when he was alone and he felt a little annoyed. "He's normally pretty firm with prices." He murmured to her.

"For the lady." The man said and handed the hefty bag over. "Because she seems adventurous."

"What did he say?"

"He said because you're a woman and you liked the bear jerky." He groused. "Discount."

"Aw he's just a sweetie." and smiled widely and passed the appropriate amount of money, while saying thank you in Romanian. "I know just a little of the language to get by."

Bucky looked around once more, unable to ignore the number of people and how exposed they were. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, you look like you want to hide." He nodded. It was the truth.

As they headed back they needed to cross a street but were forced to wait while some vehicles passed, sirens blaring. He resumed breathing when they cleared but something caught his eye across the street. A man was staring at Bucky like he recognized him. When he looked back to be sure, the guy was pretty much dropping his lolli pop. _Fuck_.

He pulled Aleksandra along and she didn't question his determination. "News stand?" she murmured and noticed a man literally bolting from behind it as they neared. "Wow, okay did that guy owe you money?" She saw the paper Bucky had in his hand. "Holy fuck..."

Instantly he was on high alert. "Aleks stay close, try not to talk much."

"Okay," she said and realized she should probably start acting more like him. From the looks of that paper and how his face seemed to be plastered on it, they were in some serious danger.

"What did it say?"

"It says I bombed the UN in Vienna."

Aleksandra frowned and kept close like he asked. That was fucking ridiculous he'd been with her. Her claws grew and she could feel herself getting angry. They were going to take him away. _Not if I have shit to say about it, mother fuckers._

ooo

When they got to the door of the apartment he raised a hand, a warning to stay quiet. Somehow Bucky got into the room silently and snuck a few steps toward a guy as large as he was, standing near the fridge. It looked like he carried a shield and she made a face at that. If she didn't know better she'd say that he looked suspiciously like Captain America.

Confident she could move silently, Aleksandra trailed after Bucky and promptly bumped the violin leaning against the mattress. The hollow echo of the instrument had her biting her lip and while Bucky didn't react, the stranger certainly did. He spun around and spotted both of them, though he spared her only a quick glance.

"You know me?" he asked Bucky.

"I know you're Steve. I read about you in a museum." He replied with his voice contained, low.

"I know you're nervous and you've got plenty of reason to be...but you're lying." Captain Steve said. She narrowed her eyes at him. This guy had no idea what had had happened to Bucky- not one bit- and she didn't care for his tone.

"I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore." Her solider said.

"Well the people who think you did are coming. And they're not planning on taking you alive." Obviously there was a conversation going on behind the scenes because Steve looked away with a hand in his ear. She heard footsteps on the roof.

"That's smart." Bucky said, "Good strategy."

"The roof," she whispered and Bucky glanced at her. He looked worried and that made her a little scared.

"This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck." Steve continued as her soldier moved away to remove his gloves.

"It always ends in a fight." He ground out as she sunk to her knees to reach for her duffle bag. She knew there were some useful things in there that would help them.

"You pulled me from the river!" Steve pressed as the tension built. They were getting cornered badly. "Why?"

"I don't know." Bucky said with finality on the subject.

"...Yes you do."

Aleksandra heard steps on the balcony and didn't have a chance to warn them as stun grenades were thrown through the windows. She swatted one that flew in front of her face, which Steve quickly covered with his shield.

Bucky must have expected another because he snatched her arm and drug her beneath his body. He pulled the mattress over them just as the explosion from the grenade rang out. The sound on that one hurt her ears but they were otherwise unscathed. He flipped the mattress up and caught a guy rappelling in though the window.

While he was busy with him she turned to her bag and pulled out one of the sticky bombs she'd shared with Bucky. She really wished she hadn't lost the guns during her border crossing in case they needed them but she had something more useful for close quarters.

Another guy got past and grabbed her shoulders while Bucky was tangoing between Steve and a few more officers. She raked her claws down the cop's arm, right though his sleeve, and threw an elbow up to stun him. Just as he released her arm and she leapt back a fucking cinder block slammed him into the bathroom door.

She turned to see Bucky looking pissed. "Oh my hero," she said with a laugh and he had enough in him to roll his eyes.

"You need to hide out and then run, Aleks."

"Fuck _that_ , no way!" she snapped as they heard a shotgun getting racked outside the door. Luckily Bucky had the foresight to place the damn table there- ever so gently of course.

" _Aleks!_ " he snapped as the first of three blasts hit the hinges of the door. "They only want me! _Don't_ follow!"

Bucky didn't wait for her to respond as he turned and punched through the wall, hitting someone out there before bursting through the door like a tank. Angry, she stood up and yelled after him. "Consider this our first _argument!"_

Aleksandra realized she wasn't alone yet and saw Steve looking at her with curiosity. He moved forward swiftly, decision seemed to be made, and handed her something small. "This is probably going to end poorly. Call this when it does." And then he was gone.

She looked down at her hand, which held a tiny metal device. "I barely know how to use a goddamn cell phone let alone this spy shit." she growled but shoved it in her jacket before running over to look out the window. She eyed the backpack on the other roof where Bucky had thrown it.

"Asshole..." she snapped, using the word to encompass _all_ of the men around her as she then eyed the drop to the street below. She just prayed she'd make the fucking jump.

ooo

As Bucky made the ridiculous leapt to the other building he panicked when he didn't spot his bag right away. It held _all_ of the memories he'd written down.

When he hit the cement he dashed forward anyway, hoping to see it lying against one of the vents. Unfortunately he didn't see the shadow drifting toward his own quickly enough and he was thrown forward. Then he found himself face to face with some stranger in a black suit.

His fighting instincts kicked in belatedly and he struggled to keep up with his opponent. He got pinned on and eyed the razor sharp claws in his face before gunfire drew the bastard's attention for an instant.

The fire was drawn away and then they heard, "Bad kitty!"

Bucky watched as Aleks slammed a heavy steal pipe into the stranger's back. The connection was hard enough that it knocked the guy back enough to give himself room to stand.

"Out of the way, woman" the cat snapped.

"Over my dead body, you prick." She snapped and Bucky shook his head. _Don't fucking talk like that_.

"Go!" she yelled over her shoulder at him before she dove for the stranger. He tried to evade but she was actually faster. With her grip firm she snagged the top of his head and threw him away from them. Her strength surprised Bucky. "I'm not doing this for my health, Barnes! Fucking _go!_ "

ooo

Aleksandra sliced at the cat's face and found she damaged nothing, not even his suit, before falling into hand-to-hand combat with him. When she heard Bucky's footsteps fading and knew he'd listened, she placed all of her attention on the prick in front of her. Dragging up her long-benched fighting skills to the fore was not going to be pretty.

The cat was really fucking good and extremely fit to boot. Aleksandra was surprised they both knew capoeira but while she'd been sitting on her ass babysitting for the past fifteen years with the twins he'd probably been living and breathing the technique. She was breathing hard but held her own for a minute until he dug his claws into her jacket and threw her. After hitting an air conditioner she looked up and spotted him racing after Bucky.

Aleksandra stood and watched both men eventually disappear down the side of the building. Steve appeared and slowed his run to check on her but she waved him on after them. "Goddamn I need to workout more." She whimpered as he took off.

She leaned over to catch her breath and pulled out the tiny phone with a sigh. There was no way she was going to catch them to make sure they made it or not and she certainly wasn't taking a chance with Bucky's life. So she called it.

" _Yello_." She heard.

"Um, hello? You don't know me but-

" _How'd you get this phone?_ "

"I stole it." She said dryly, couldn't help it, and the guy actually laughed.

" _And who may I ask is calling?_ "

"Aleksandra Romani. I'm Bucky's friend." She said, using her Roma name. It was probably the same one Hydra had on file...somewhere.

" _Ya huh, his_ friend." She could hear the man's sarcasm loud and clear. " _Steve told you to call?_ "

"Yeah if it looked like things were going south." She looked at the beat up rooftop and back over at the way the guys went. "It hasn't completely gone yet but I'm a betting woman, and I'm gonna say the house doesn't win today."

He was quiet for a beat. " _Well, shit. Looks like I'm back in. Get somewhere safe if you haven't already. I'll get tabs on what's happening and keep you updated. The name's Clint Barton by the way_."

"Alright, Clint," she said, "and thanks." The line went dead and she frowned when she realized she would probably have to hop back over there to the opposite building somehow and get her things.

With a put-upon sigh she started back toward the side of the building with a slight limp. Before even considering taking a running leap she headed to a vent nearby where she'd stashed the backpack. She hoped she'd get to give it to him. _Stubborn asshole..._

_ooo_

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have been updating quick, when I have time to add them. These chapters are already done up until chapter 15, which I'm still working on now. On FF.net I have up to chapter 12 on there, under the same name as here and the same penname. I hope you are enjoying so far!

Bucharest

An hour later she got the call. " _Get to Berlin. We'll get you a flight and info to follow_."

"How does one fly without a passport?" she muttered humorlessly. "I'm stuck here."

" _Well, Ms. Romani, now you have a passport. Or you will shortly. We got you a picture for it and everything. From what we understand you're very attractive and healthy for a 90 year old woman_."

"Flatterer." She spat, but was extremely worried behind her words. How the hell did _they_ know who she was?

" _In case you're wondering we work with a lot of perks here with the Avengers and old Shield benefits. Got access to Hydra files that were flushed to the public and from what we got on you with satellite to that phone as well as good old intuition, we think you're the Aleksandra Romani that went into their system in '38. Tell me I'm crazy,_ please _. Not sure we can handle another Capsicle or fucking Winter Soldier_."

She sighed. "I really have no secrets huh? This whole information everywhere thing really makes it hard to be a successful fugitive, you know."

" _No shit right? Anyway don't worry, I'm not handing you over to anyone. Go to the local library and tell the woman at the desk with an eagle pin and a blue blazer that you're looking for a book on 'Siberian Ice Licking'._ "

"I have a feeling I'm going to have to punch you _really_ goddamn hard when I meet you, Barton."

" _That's how you know you're making friends, Lexi. See you in Berlin_."

ooo

When Aleksandra got to the library as directed, she went right for the front desk where she instantly spotted a slightly out of place woman in a blue blazer sporting an eagle pin. _Wicked weird._

"Um, hi." She muttered, "I'm here to pick up a book on... _Siberian Ice Licking_." As she expected she was mortified to say that out loud but the librarian in question didn't bat an eye. Instead she handed over a large hardback with a block of ice on it with that exact title on the cover.

"Thank you for calling ahead to pick it up, Ms. Romani. I hope you enjoy your trip to Germany." The words were kind and polite but the eyes behind them were stern and pointed.

"Thank you." Aleksandra managed to reply and headed right out of the library to read on a nearby bench. She expected papers, but it opened up into a screen that sprang to life at her touch.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Romani." It said quietly and a slim drawer flipped open on the side of it. Within lied several cards with her name on them and a green booklet that read 'Passport'.

"Holy shit," she murmured as the polite and slightly robotic voice continued.

"Your first task is to get to the airport. Hail a cab and it will take you there directly. Take your new IDs to the front desk and they'll print your prepaid ticket. Do not be late. Once in Berlin find some professional clothing and use the credit card provided. You may read up on your file during the flight that Avengers confidant, Maria Hill, has recovered from Hydra channels. There is also internet available on the tablet. Your next set of orders are available within this device. Please get yourself accustomed to this tablet and do not lose it. This recording will erase itself."

And just like that she felt like James _Fucking_ Bond.

ooo

Aleksandra had two vodkas on the plane and tried really hard not to grip the seats with her claws as they took off. It was a short flight but the shots managed to calm her down so she could focus on the text in her hand. She'd ditched the damn book cover but kept the tablet within. If she remembered right, the 'computers' from the 50's that Hydra had often took up entire rooms.

She read over her orders quickly. The German Special Tasks Forces had taken Bucky, Steve, and some other guy, Sam Wilson, into custody. Oh and the kitty. She refused to call him _king_ anything. All of them were currently on a plane as well but it was private and armed with guards and CIA personnel. She would have approximately one hour ahead of them to get her appearance in order.

Aleksandra was able to get her spot working closely with their case at the CIA facility in Berlin partly because of Shield and also because an agent of theirs was extremely loyal to Steve. She wouldn't be within contact of Bucky, but she'd be able to have him visible in some way and he may even see her. She didn't hold her breath but she was hopeful.

Sure that she'd read everything she needed several times over, Aleksandra leaned back and looked at the clock overhead. 30 minutes left. She growled and looked back at the tablet. That recording had told her she had her own Hydra file. Curious, Aleksandra swiped around until she found it. Her name as well as her photo taken in 1938 was suddenly there right before her. She could feel her heart rate rising.

The front information contained her blood type and other physical features. On the next page her stomach started to turn. She learned she'd been able to survive the death camp to turn her for one hundred and six days. She died on the one hundred and seventh morning. Apparently there was footage from that day available on the tablet and a couple other incidents she'd been involved in.

Aleksandra looked up as a waitress passed. "Excuse me, may I please have a vodka." Once she was alone again she returned to the pages. She flipped though, noting they kept meticulous detail on the experiments at first. Slowly, when things stopped progressing how they wanted, the updates all but stopped. A summary on her said she had a laundry list of things that defined her as an 'enhanced' person now like supernatural speed, strength, and accelerated healing. All these she knew already, including her claws and teeth.

However, something she did not know caught her eye. She had apparently, on more than twenty five documented occasions, told a handler or doctor that they were "going to be sorry". Within an hour, each of the victims had either gotten hurt or had died. "Cognitive or willed homicide... brutal attacks. I don't remember this," she murmured as she began to read the note flagged in the file.

_Due to the extremely unpredictable and dangerous nature of her ability to all Hydra members, authorization was given to subject the asset to electroshock therapy until she was rendered into a vegetative state. She did not remember her ability to dictate or to inflict death or injury at a whim and the deaths and injuries have stopped permanently as of this date._

_Sept 12, 1944_

Aleksandra felt stunned as she looked up and noticed a fresh shot of vodka on the tray beside her. What the fuck else had she be able to do that they'd tortured out of her? Was she able to still do it? Would she even _want_ to?

She must have looked visibly upset because an elderly man in another first class seat near her noticed. He reached over and gently patted her hand." _Wie_ _ghet es dir_?" he asked, seeing if she okay.

Despite herself and the time she was in, she recoiled from the German language, surprising both of them. To recover simply because she felt horrible for frightening an old person, Aleksandra started laughing and wiped her teary eyes with a napkin.

" _J-Ja, danke schön._ _Fantastisch! Ein Gedicht..._ " she gestured to the tablet.

" _Wunderbar_ ," her neighbor replied with a nod, appeased that she was smiling and believing her lie about reading a poem.

When he turned away fully and returned to his own book, Aleksandra looked down at her claws. They were piercing the metal of her tablet. Pissed at herself, at her hands, and at her goddamn history she downed the vodka in one go. She wished it burned worse than the idea she was a fucking monster. Her only consolation was that at least those abilities were probably snubbed out of her mind back in the 40's.

When the overhead speaker alerted them of their decent into Berlin, she got her game face on. Aleksandra had snatched some makeup while she was in the terminal at Bucharest so she began cleaning up her face using the ice water from her glass. She wished she was more girly but she at least knew how to kohl her eyes. That, at least, had stayed the same through her lifetime.

ooo

Berlin

Aleksandra felt strange in black skinny jeans, like they were too tight on her ass and leg. However, the saleswoman assured her it was the fashion. At least they felt comfortable, she mused, even if she thought they let no room for the imagination.

Instructions form her tablet _had_ told her to look presentable, but she should able to get into a fight if necessary. Of course it mentioned she should be up to date on fashion and explicitly stated no long skirts. Guess they knew her affinity for them.

Aleksandra knew she had little time to play around looking at shit so she chose to pair the pants with a white button down shirt, which she tucked in, and was shown a jacket with some seriously soft pebbled-leather material. She saw the price tag and smirked. "I'll definitely take this one." She practically purred. "Two can play the asshole game, Barton. You gonna get your pee-pee slapped by someone."

"What a unique necklace! Where did you find that choker?"

The question brought her down from her glee and she looked into the mirror, trying to focus on what the manager was seeing. Ah, her bark collar. Since she'd had it for so long, it felt part of her more than it was separate. "Oh this old thing?" she replied flippantly to the woman, "It's just an antique. Oh yeah, could I ask...?"

The attendant and manager upturned their ears at her exclamation. She was, after all, making a large purchase. "Bitte?" the manager said.

"Can I get some boots to match that jacket?"

ooo

Aleksandra practically ran towards the building once the taxi stopped and she tossed Euro's at the driver. When she spotted a tall blonde at the entrance wearing a vest and- _Well look at that_ \- skinny jeans, she knew she was in the right place. The woman seemed to watch her coming up the steps with relief and she didn't blink twice at her outfit. Aleksandra was _very_ happy that she tipped the saleswoman generously.

"Glad to see you, I was worried you weren't going to make it in time. I'm Agent Sharon Carter. Follow me and I'll let you in the drill while you're here. Steve's assistant, Maria, filled me in on the situation and I've been able to get some passes to help you make it through some high security doors. You're supposed to be with me throughout your time here, so try to keep close."

Aleksandra followed quickly. "Agent Carter, do you have a safe place I can stash my backpack?" She lifted it for perusal.

Sharon didn't seem interested in it's contents one bit. "Absolutely. We'll end up in a central location where the live feeds will be. You can store it there."

ooo

Bucky leaned his head back into the headrest of the chair he was strapped too. He couldn't say if he'd ever been stuck in a glass box like this one before. He could hear the truck stop and the door roll up behind him, opening. A forklift arrived and pulled his containment cell out once it got a proper hold. All of this was just wasting time before he was destroyed once more. At least he had his memories this imprisonment even if he was just going to rot. For once he was innocent.

The ride was short to the next stop as it backed him into an elevator. He looked out into the wide room and saw Steve along with the others, already out of their van. His childhood friend took a look back at him, but made a slight, sharp move with his head. He was trying to alert him to something. Once they all started to get herded away he finally saw what Steve had been trying to tell him.

_You crazy dame..._

Aleks was already looking at him but if he didn't know her face so well in his head he would never have recognized her.

She'd obviously updated her wardrobe and he had no idea how, since it looked damn expensive. The jeans were tight on her legs and wrapped around her backside like a second skin. The skirts she'd worn before hadn't given him enough of a picture, but there was no doubt seeing her now, only confirmed- she had an amazing ass. The white blouse she tucked allowed just a hint of cleavage but it looked like she was in her element, despite being in a new country surrounded by police and possible enemies.

Bucky gave an exasperated sigh once he was sure she wasn't hurt or there against her will- and after he was done eyeing her. _She's crazy...and stubborn as hell_. He tried to give her a dark look, to give an idea of how annoyed he was to see her there putting herself in danger.

It was clear she saw his obvious disproval of her being there against his will, and Aleks looked positively smug. She lifted her head and spun on her heel to follow after the group. Even that far away he knew she was mad but while he wasn't sure if she was exaggerating the walk, she gave him a show nonetheless.

He certainly wasn't completely upset to see her. It warmed him that she was trying to help him, though he had no idea how she got in there or why she was walking around dressed in those clothes. All he was one hundred percent certain of was that if this was the last time he ever saw her, he'd be okay on his happy thoughts on her for a very, very long time.

ooo

 


	10. Chapter 10

ooo

Berlin

CIA Facility

Aleksandra felt a little bad about flaunting her assets at Bucky, but not too much. _What are the kids saying now...sorry not sorry?_ _No wonder women wear these_ , she thought as she watched Romanoff getting sidelong looks as she sashayed through the hall in her own pair.

Aleks thought about Bucky again- wished she would have at least given him reassuring smile rather than being such a smug bitch, but she was still crotchety. _But for good reason_ , she reminded herself. She wouldn't have been so salty if he would have trusted her enough to have his back in Bucharest. Yes she was out of shape and untested, but she had abilities and she could have taken out some of the German Special Forces. Hell, she hadn't even thought about it at the time but she might have tried using her 'special' scream. It may have helped them out.

Still, she was the escapee Hydra asset, broken and inconsistent especially from what she learned from her file. With that scream it required emotion- Nicodemus' death and her rage at the asshole that'd spat on his body all but confirmed it. Besides, what if it did work but she reset Bucky again? She couldn't risk fucking with his mind.

Aleksandra's own was racing as she followed the group but she tried to clear it as best she could. Sharon shot her a curious look but she nodded quickly in hopes of assuring the woman she was fine. Questions were probably going to get thrown her way and she needed to be ready.

When she entered a large area with a glass-enclosed room in the middle, she assumed they were at their destination. Steve looked her way but got intercepted by Stark before he could call her over. It seemed, however, that her first talk would be with another Avenger.

"You look out of place."

"That's funny, because I feel out of place." She replied to Romanoff- who was not pulled in by the quip, of course. Even with Aleksandra's lack of knowledge she had heard of the Black Widow. A woman like that did not get reeled in by witty one-liners.

"Why are you here." Natasha pressed.

"I'm here because of a very fortunate phone call and some generous assistance."

"Cute." Romanoff snapped. "Why did you make a call that ended up bringing you here?"

"I'm not a genie." Aleksandra said, "Rewording your request isn't going to change the outcome if it's off limits. Fortunately for you, I can give some info. It really is very simple: I'm here for someone I care about. That's all I'm really going to say right about that."

Though Natasha was clearly annoyed, she let it slid. "Fine. Just keep your nose clean."

"Well I was hoping for some blow or something. You know, clear the sinuses."

"Jesus Christ, I can't deal with a female Tony." Romanoff was gone like lightning. It felt surprisingly good to be victorious in a way. She'd scared off the Black Widow.

"Well I'll be damned."

Aleksandra moved to get close to Sharon like she was supposed to be, which incidentally was where Steve and the guy she assumed was Sam were waiting. Tony and the Captain's conversation had not gone very well she noticed, as they separated with some pretty annoyed expressions. It was bad timing but she moved closer to Steve anyway. She knew he needed to ask her some things about Bucky.

"Do I get to say hi to you before shit hits the fan again?" she said, interrupting his thoughts as he watched the man they both cared about on the monitor. She hadn't noticed before. Her soldier's eyes looked dead. "He seems resigned to this," she murmured.

"How do you know Bucky?" he asked her.

Eyes not leaving said man on the screen outside the room, Aleksandra responded. "I met him in a Hydra facility. I was an asset for them too, but not like he was- not for the same reasons."

"You were hurt like him?"

Her answer had changed completely in less than twenty-four hours and she grit her teeth. _Electroshock therapy_. "Yes, actually. But Bucky has had a considerably more terrible existence than I. My time was mostly long and drawn out, not pain filled. Lonely really. They used a serum on me as well, but um..."

Steve nodded and Sam was listening in with interest. "You can tell us whenever you feel comfortable."

"You're a real stellar fella, Rogers." She said with a smile and he matched it.

"Dunno about that, ma'am, but I do know Bucky cares about you." She couldn't help but smile at his words as she looked back up at the screen.

"You know, we only interacted a handful of times for about a month or so, but he really made an impact on me. We were similar. We understood one another by the end and then...we were separated. I never thought I'd see him again or that he'd remember me. This past week was the best one ever. We didn't answer to anyone and we had each other."

Sam could be heard in the back. "You guys got some time alone to connect while you were with Hydra?"

Aleksandra laughed coldly at that. "You were never alone in a Hydra facility." She turned to regard him and gave a shrug. "We got in a nice hug in if that's what you're asking. Bucky and I are kind of complicated in a traditional sense of a relationship. Hell were don't even know what bases are yet, but our loyalty and affection for each other really isn't complicated at all. He spent his time remembering my face but not my name while I thought about him every single day for almost twenty-five years. With that kind of time to think you start to feel a lot more for someone than you probably would in a normal world."

At that Steve turned. "Wait...how old are you?"

Aleksandra was done being sappy and laying out her pressure points, so she turned up her defense. Her gasp was sharp and surprised everyone in the room. "Mr. Rogers! _Never_ ask a lady her age, sir!" She ended on a whisper.

Steve had a moment of genuine remorse and apologized, clearly not getting her sarcasm. Meanwhile Sam and Sharon both probably thought she had some kind of personality disorder. Any of their reactions were fine for her, though, as long as they stopped asking questions.

It seemed the psychiatrist had entered the room Bucky's cell was in and she frowned as she considered something. "Hey Agent Carter?"

She looked over at her, a little less at ease with her by her outburst earlier. "Yes, Ms. Romani?"

"Aleksa," she waved and rattled on, "Did they take anything from Bucky? Any jewelry?"

"No, we didn't get close enough to check for anything of that sort. Just the standard pat down until he gets moved to a high security cell."

While the woman's words were disheartening it at least made her feel better. He was still wearing the locket. "Thank you." She said and turned back to the monitor as Steve started muttering to himself about the security photo that had started all of this.

"Why would they print this publically?" he began and swapped ideas around with Sam and Sharon while Aleksandra got more and more nervous as she listened.

_There!_ She'd spotted Bucky's eyes focus on the doctor's with interest he hadn't given before. _God fucking damnit something is up_ , she thought nervously.

Then the power went out.

ooo

Aleksandra didn't follow Sharon with Natasha and Tony. She'd gone after Steve and Sam when the coast was clear. Something told her that to get to Bucky she'd be better off following Steve. She wasn't wrong.

"Holy shit," she barked as she spotted the huge dent in the elevator when she got to sublevel 5.

"Aleksa?"

"Steve?" she said and popped her head in to see him climbing up. "He _punted_ you like a soccer ball, didn't he?" Before he got up all the way she struggled a little to pull open the metal. Though she strained, she was happy to see there was now plenty of room for him to climb out of the hole after that. He looked at her strangely as he passed through.

"What?"

"I think seeing a lady do something like that is a first for me." Steve said, looking at the doors and then her. She was very small, he thought, but then again he had been small once too.

"You mean opening a door like tin foil? Pff. Easy." Her elbows wobbled in protest but she wasn't about to show how out of shape she was to him. She needed him to trust she could handle whatever Bucky dished out. And from the looks of it, that man was _p_ to the _o-ed_.

Steve ran a path she probably wouldn't have taken, but near the roof they ended up seeing the tail end of Bucky running up the last few steps of stairs. That bastard was trying to escape.

"Shit!" they both barked in unison and bolted up the stairs, though she was a lot faster and threw a leg out to trip him halfway up. Aleksandra burst though the doors far ahead of the Captain and locked it from the outside. She needed the chance to get Bucky's head clear and calm him down first.

When she turned, he'd just ripped open the door to the chopper when she yelled for him. "Bucky!" He ignored her without trouble and she shook her head, already mentally asking him to forgive her for next words. " _Soldat!_ "

_That_ got his attention.

She clearly hadn't thought things though, was her first consideration as he came barreling towards her. Her defensive training finally kicked in and she dodged the wild arm that came down for her, replying with an elbow. Contact was made with his ear and he threw out one of his own, clocking her temple.

"Fucker!" she snarled and swiped at him, claws ripping into his right shoulder. Surprised, he took a step back and checked the blood cascading down his arm. She got him good. "You are _so_ in the dog house tonight!" she barked, already trying to put distance between them.

Bucky reached for her quickly but she danced out of reach and threw a kick, cracking him in the ribs. She only connected because she was faster, but it was an advantage that might save her ass.

Loud banging on the door distracted her and Bucky took advantage. He caught her forearm first and then his metal arm dragged her over by gripping her neck. "Wait, Bucky!" she pleaded as she grabbed at him. He clearly didn't hear or care as he slammed his head into hers.

Dazed, Aleksandra felt herself getting tossed back onto the cement. She wondered if his stupid head was metal too because it sure as hell felt like it. It took her a minute to get her bearings before she could stand and when she did, everything was going to hell.

The chopper was in the air now but Steve was struggling to pull the damn thing back down, clutching onto the metal like a man possessed. She leapt into action and didn't hesitate to help him pull. The thing bowed down with their combined strength for a moment and she caught Steve's eye. _Holy shit_ they might have him.

Suddenly the controls whirred and the chopper hurtled itself into the side of the landing pad.

They both struggled to dodge the wreckage, taking extreme care of the carbon blades of the propeller. When the down machine swung about, Steve missed the tail but she'd forgotten about it.

In an instant the shredded blades had slashed into her torso, lodging there, before dragging her around on its last trip. Miraculously the tail pulled her ragged body to the edge of the fence but detached from her flesh at the last second. From where she remained dangling over the side, Aleksandra could see the battered thing fall into the river below. She also saw a lot of blood rolling down her arm.

Steve could be heard shouting, but the last thing she remembered before she blacked out was the rest of the helicopter falling into the water, where Bucky's metal arm could be seen holding onto his friend's neck.

ooo

Had to leave it there. Drop me a line if you're enjoying this so far! Thank you once again for all the favs and follows, as well as the reviews!

 

Next chapter we'll get closer to the end with Bucky finding out what he did while rendered a mindless, vengeful soldier on Zemo's orders.


	11. Chapter 11

ooo

Bucky was disgusted by his actions and though he, thankfully, remembered none of them this time it didn't change the fact that he'd done them. When Steve finally mentioned that Aleks was impaled by the blades of a helicopter, he'd leapt to his feet from the crate he'd been sitting on.

"Jesus, Steve!" he snapped. "What the hell happened to her?"

"You happened." The guy Sam snapped sharply.

"What'd ya mean?" Bucky asked cautiously. Somehow he knew it was bad, but not as fucking bad as the truth. _He_ had crashed the goddamn chopper right onto both Aleks and Steve and he'd done it with intent to kill them. Since they didn't have her there with them to prove she was alive, she very well could be dead.

"Is she...?" He couldn't even finish the question.

"We don't know." Steve said, "But I know someone who might."

So they moved out. During the ride it was clear that Sam was disgusted with him and understandably so. When they got to the rendezvous point they were met with the CIA agent, Carter, and Steve did return to the car with information. Aleksandra was gone, the woman said. Fled the hospital though they had no idea how; she'd nearly died from blood loss and they couldn't contain it before she left.

_Gone_. _Bleeding out_. His head swam with horrible images and he pressed his fingers into his eyes. _I did that to her_...

Bucky's head fell back against the seat of the cramped bug and let the truth sink in as they got back on the road. He'd destroyed what they had before they could really even explore it. He felt far more for her then he had for any women he'd ever known and he knew that what he felt for her was something big. Though it was newly discovered, he wanted it to grow.

Bucky would have killed to keep her safe...yet he hadn't kept her safe from himself. He'd hurt her, almost killed her from the sound of it. She was likely so horrified of his actions that she picked up her broken body and left the hospital rather than ever face him again. The whole situation was eating him alive, but there was nothing he could do.

They had a vital mission now. The guy who'd orchestrated all of this was trying to cause even more harm with the five assets left behind in Siberia. While he was worried about Aleks, one of those assets Josef had the training and ability to find them all, including her. He would kill her if he got loose. Bucky wouldn't allow that.

So he'd resigned himself to the fact he would never see her again. It stung harder and left him more hollow than any injury or electroshock treatment ever did.

ooo

They rolled up the parking garage levels and eventually stopped a couple spaces from a white, windowless van. The three very tall men piled out, like a messed up clown car, and met with Barton and Wanda. Bucky remained on the other side of the bug, not excited to interact with anyone at the moment.

There was a quick exchange and Barton opened up the sliding van door, jolting a man lying inside. "Just had to load him up with coffee." He said and urged the new comer over to Steve.

"Captain America," the guy muttered, clearly star-struck. Bucky would have been amused had he not been feeling so dark. There were too many things on his mind. Once again being things _he_ had done.

The guy Barton made a move to sit down on the edge of the open van but was blindsided by a haymaker to the face. The sharp sound of a skin on skin alerted them all and they looked over to see Aleksandra gingerly climbing out of the van. She had a smirk on her very healthy and decidedly not-dead face.

Bucky could barely fucking breathe as he watched.

"Didn't I warn you, Clint?" Aleks said, clearly satisfied as she made a show of wiping her shoulders off before straightening her ripped up, bloodstained blouse.

"Jesus Christ, it was a _joke!_ " The guy Clint whined as he nursed his jaw. He looked over at Wanda for support but she just shrugged. "You know for a chick who just lost her guts all over the tarmac you really don't pull your punches do you?"

"Guess not." She said and crossed her arms. It was only then she realized that Steve, Sam and Bucky were starring at her. "Oh hey."

Steve looked back at his speechless friend and spoke for them both. "Aleksa, how are you here? How are you _walking_?"

She made an _ah_ face and nodded. "Well they tried giving me some blood at the hospital, which my body refused of course." She said, as if it was completely normal for someone to do that. "Nothing they could have tried would have helped. So when I was left alone for a minute I hopped down into another level through the window and used the wallet I swiped from a nurse to get food from the vending machine. Not the _best_ fare for healing, but it did the trick. Note to self: skittles _bad_."

"We found her walking into the airport looking like this." Wanda added gruffly.

"I figured Barton was flying in- and I was _right_." Aleks looked annoyed as she took a look at the girl, Wanda. "You should be on _my_ side, _Devushka_." The witch actually let out a put-upon sigh.

"I _am,_ Aleksa."

"Damn skippy."

"You gonna go punch your boyfriend too?" Clint barked with a blooming bruise on his jaw. "He probably deserves it more than me, I only asked for that book cover on your tablet to be called ' _Siberian Ice Licking_ ,' not drop a damn chopper on your ass."

It seemed only a few of them got the joke because just Sam and Wanda dared a snicker while the new guy let out a nervous laugh. "Well, I am _totally_ lost."

"If you don't die today, Barton, I'll be burying you tomorrow." Aleksa said before looking over at Bucky for the first time. Bucky, on the other hand, hadn't looked away from her or her bloody clothing at all.

"And no, I'm not going to punch him, Clint." She continued. "But we might need to have a _talk_ after the shit he pulled." Bucky's face fell at her words but she wasn't done. "I'm still royally pissed about Bucharest."

"I hate it when women say 'we need to talk.'" Scott said and Barton made a shivering movement.

"Stuff of nightmares really."

"Unbelievable," Steve muttered with a crooked smile. They were all crazy...maybe this just might work. "Aleksa, you and Bucky clearly need to hash this out. We don't have alotta time, but we all need to move inside for now. I say we get some food, a few minutes rest, and then we're suiting up. We need to find a safe spot to lay low."

ooo

Incidentally the best place for hiding that they could decide on was the USO inside the airport. The new guy Scott seemed to be giving Aleksandra a wide birth as they all left the parking garage and made it into the surprisingly empty lobby. She made a point to round on him and introduce herself. "I don't think we've met."

"Um, uh, hello there aggressive woman. I'm Scott Lang, aka Ant Man." He replied as he shook her outstretched hand.

"I read about you before."

"Oh! Uh, that's actually kind of flattering." He said with a slightly wary grin.

"Controlling the ants sounds fun," she said and sighed. "I'm normally very chill, Scott. You just caught me on an off day."

"Very intense from the sound of it. So, a chopper like- _get to da choppa! -_ kind of chopper?"

"Mhmm!" she hummed and nodded her head enthusiastically. "Flew on a plane for the first time too. _Ugh_ , terrible. Besides the booze of course."

"Yeah, they used to give us peanuts in-flight but _...oh..._ ah _,_ well I'm gonna go get ready. S-see you, Aleksa."

She could feel him behind her even before Scott wimped out and darted off after the others. With a sigh she turned and looked up at Bucky. "You know I was making a friend."

He returned her sigh, "You were messing with him, doll."

"I knew you were there, yeah." She said with a smirk and then shook her head. "Wait, I'm supposed to be pissed at you. I _am_ pissed at you!"

Bucky looked around, noticed the area empty of the others. "You got every right to be angry at me, Aleks." He assured her.

"Angry?" She snapped but caught that slight accent he'd done again. It was the same one she'd gotten from him back in the 90's, the one that showed up after she'd screamed and jogged him out of the fog. He had also called her doll again... _Nope_ , she thought, _tackle that later_.

Aleksandra spun around and walked over to a window, gearing up for what she had to say. "Angry is a goddamn understatement, Bucky. You didn't _trust_ me to have your back," she snapped. "I stewed about this for a while. You barely left me to keep that stupid cat off you on the roof. I'm not some fucking housewife with a feather duster as a weapon!"

She was blabbering now but she felt the sting of tears and wished she could just let this whole thing go, but it bothered her too much. "Not only that-" she made an embarrassing _hick_ sound, choking on a sob that was building and she shook herself to try and stop. "You...you didn't even know me today up on the roof...Not at all. Not Steve...and that chopper. What was _that?_ "

Suddenly she was turned and dragged bodily over to a wall behind a big plant. Worried he wasn't her Bucky again she looked into his eyes, but it was all him and while his grip on her shoulders was firm, it was gentle.

"Aleks, I'm sorry. They...the shrink used the words that trigger me to comply. Its like I was back in Siberia all over again."

"That fucker Karpov did this to you didn't he." She snapped surprising him. "He made you react to the words."

"Yeah."

She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked at his chest. "I can understand that, Bucky. But I _don't_ understand why you didn't trust me back in Bucharest!"

He released one of her arms and rested his elbow against the wall, leaning his head close to hers and effectively pressing into her already limited space. It was slightly intimidating with how large and lethal she knew him to be, but it also brought a blush high to her cheeks.

"We're supposed to be a team, Bucky." She said with slightly less barb than before.

"I'm sorry," he said as he rose his other hand to her head; brushed some hair away from her face. He was obviously checking a fading bruise from earlier- one he'd given her. With a huff of annoyance she turned her head.

"You know, I really thought about this and I- I am _trying_ to make a goddamn point here!"

"Point taken."

"Oh no you don't!" she growled as he lowered his head between her shoulder and neck, effectively boxing her in so she couldn't move. The scratching of his beard did more damage to her insides than the chopper blades had. She was swiftly turning into putty. "This is _not_ fucking fair, Barnes. I'm trying to set boundaries."

"I don't like boundaries, Aleks." He muttered and pulled away to look at her. "Not here, not with us."

"You _have_ to promise to trust me, Bucky. You _left_ me there like I was liability and _fuck_ -maybe I am! But I had no fucking idea what was going to happen to you!" she snapped and grabbed his face with both hands. "I can't lose you again."

Bucky looked moved by what she said and he cleared his throat. "Aleks...you're _it_ for me, sweetheart." When she said nothing, just stared up at him with watery eyes, he let out a humorless laugh. He rattled on before he lost his nerve. "I got scared back there. I just...there's no world I want to live in without you, but it would _kill_ me if anything happened to you because of me. So I told you to run. When I heard that I almost killed you?" He couldn't finish.

She took a shaky breath after a moment and felt the heavy, heady sense of the air between them. "Well for the record, next time? Don't tell me to run. Drag me with because this-" she motioned with her finger between them, "This is it for me too."

Bucky crashed his mouth over hers and her head tapped the wall with the force. His hand flew up to her neck as she struggled to get more height; he was so damn tall. The kiss got heavy fast with him pressing her into the wall and when she tried again to pull herself up for more, he reached down. His hands gripped her ass for a moment, savoring the feel of her, before she whined and he lifted her. Instantly she wrapped her legs around his hips and both of their heads went fuzzy.

Aleksandra's claws curled into his shirt when he released her lips and he felt just how sharp they were as she ran them through his hair. When he attacked her neck with small bites and kisses she dragged those claws down his back.

His hiss of approval made her grin as he dragged her back for another kiss. Those tiny, sharp canines he always spotted when she smirked did a number on his blood pressure when she took his lower lip between them. "Fuck," he groaned against her mouth when Aleksandra released him and she couldn't help but laugh breathlessly.

A throat clearing had them startle a bit, but he still had her pressed against the wall and their limbs remained tangled.

They glanced over to see Steve looking at them with an extremely wide smirk. "You kinda needed a new shirt anyway, Buck, but you're really gonna need this now. Oh and Wanda wanted you to have this too, Aleksa." He said and dropped a pile of clothes on the bench nearby. "Carry on," he said with a grin.

They were left alone again and she realized she'd clawed up the back of Bucky's shirt, even drawing some blood by the looks of her nails. "Shit," she whined. "I'm sorry."

"Worth it." He said and dragged her back for another kiss that seared her blood. _Siberian ice my ass_ , she thought. His effect on her was anything but chilly.

ooo

Sorry I didn't warn about the cliffhanger! Posted this early to make amends :)

 

**_OH!_** Check out the Bucky/OC one-shot I posted, called Right Side of The Bed. Its got lots of sexual stuff so...be warned!


	12. Chapter 12

Oh hey just another reminder. Check out my new Bucky/OC oneshot. Takes place while Bucky is still an active Hydra asset. If you like sex, there is an abundance for you there. ^,^

ooo

Aleksandra spotted Wanda after she and Bucky entered the USO together, each carrying their pile of clothes that Steve brought to them. Of course most eyes looked up to watch them but no stupid remarks filtered over, even though Barton had a look like he was biting his tongue.

" _Devushka_ , you think these will fit?" she said, eyeing the black leather suspiciously.

Wanda looked up with a coy smile. "I think it might, though you may not like them much. You like comfy clothes. Like potato sacks."

"Guilty, but you look like a hippie half the time too, so you can't judge." She murmured and looked back at Bucky, watching him eye her as he waited for his turn to change in the men's bathroom. She smiled at him and returned her attention to Wanda.

Suddenly she considered something she hadn't thought of before now.

"Hey...where's Peeps?" she said, "Normally you two are joined at the hip."

At her sorrowful look Aleksandra got worried. "Hey, no, no, seriously." She said and hopped over the back of the couch to grab Wanda's fidgeting hands. "Where's Pietro?"

"Petey sacrificed himself for my life and a civilian kid." She looked up at Clint looking much more serious than she though possible. "Back in Sokovia."

"He's..." She couldn't finish her sentence. It was written all over Wanda's face. "I'm so sorry, _Devushka_."

"It is alright. It was hard at first..." the girl said. She seemed to shake off the old grief and smiled. "But I've made a family here. And _you're_ here now."

Aleksandra smiled back. "I'm happy you landed on your feet, Wanda. I was worried about you."

"I've been worried about you too! I swore you were going to turn into a traveling musician and wear those awful cotton skirts."

"I'm offended you would think I'd become a full on hippie, Wanda. For shame." She could tell Bucky was listening because she heard his rough cough. "Anyway, I'll go put these clothes on I guess."

"I'll come with you; may need a hand."

Aleksandra slowed. "I don't know if I like the sound of that...what are your fighting outfits like?" At Wanda's shrug she didn't feel any better. "It better not be a goddamn leotard."

ooo

The two women exited the bathroom, obviously being the last to get 'suited up' as Steve called it. Wanda emerged first with her tight red corset and overcoat. Bucky wondered who decided on that, herself or someone else, when Aleks walked out looking uncomfortable. His jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Seriously who brings that many pairs of corsets with them?" she complained.

"I brought _two_." Wanda replied dryly. She was pulling on her gloves while watching Aleksandra with a little too much satisfaction.

"That's two too many!" the elder woman barked as she finished attacking a loose buckle on her hip. "A friggin holster," she grumbled. "What am I gonna put in there, a nail file?"

Once she was just about done huffing and puffing, she pulled on the bottom hem of the corset. She was wary though, of pulling on it too much. She was a little bustier than Wanda and the black material seemed to protest the fact. With a sigh she pulled on her slightly ripped and bloodstained jacket for some coverage.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you're enjoying this."

"Oh I am a little." Wanda assured her.

Just as Bucky caught Aleksandra's eye and she about to walk over to where he sat, Barton spoke up.

"Hey, Lexi, have you watched the footage from 1938?" Both of them shot a glance at him swiping through her tablet- well probably his. He kind of paid for it, she thought, and did give her all of that information.

"I saw it was there, but I didn't watch it."

"Holy shit, you guys need to see this." He said and set it up on the ping-pong table. A couple of them gathered quickly with Captain checking the date.

"1938? I didn't exactly believe it. And you weren't on ice like me, or..."

Bucky frowned but nodded. "Yeah. That's a long time." He stood behind Aleks on the outside of the circle and she leaned into his body heat.

When Wanda got a spot up front, she made a face. "It's not exactly PG if I remember it all right." she muttered and the witch shrugged.

"Nothing is with you."

Barton hit play and the old surveillance footage from the arena ran. They could see a group of women, all in the ragged clothing they'd be captured in. None were clean, all were coated in blood, mud and worse. It was easy to see which one was with her long hair flying around and her skirt, long since ripped up the leg for more movement. She elbowed another women, grabbed her hair and flipped her over into the mud before ducking to avoid a brick. A woman went down behind her, taking that hit, while Aleksandra stood and hip-checked another, sending that one into the mud to avoid a cleaver flying for her chest.

"Huh, that was one of the days we had to fight each other." The group looked at her with surprise, especially at her tone. She realized she sounded dull and heartless about it. "This was one of a few times."

Clint clicked on another clip and pre-serum Aleksa could be seen leaping onto a man's back, jabbing something into his neck and bringing him down. "Knitting needle." She said and Wanda actually laughed nervously.

"They made you fight? Why?"

"So we would die."

When they got to the next clip, she knew it was the one she would perish in. Aleksandra realized she'd been hearing a noise and looked down at Bucky's hand. His metal fist was clenched and when she looked up his jaw was the same. Wordlessly, she reached out and grabbed his hand.

Bucky looked down at her, seemingly affected by what he'd seen. There was pity and anger in his eyes. "Don't do that now." She said. "I'm right here aren't I?"

He sighed and looked back up to where she was getting beaten badly. "This is pretty messed up." Sam said, seeing their interaction. "You should turn it off."

"Yeah," Clint said but Aleks held her hand up.

"Wait, I want to see the end." They let it roll and they saw a man, who she'd bitten part of his cheek off, lift the pistol and fire. Her rail thin and sickly body jerked with the force and finally relaxed into the mud.

Not one in the room spoke and Aleksandra frowned. "Damn, I knew they lied about-

On the screen a flash appeared, seeming to rock whatever the camera had been connected to. When the abrupt light disappeared the area around her dead body looked like it had taken a blast. The muddy water was no longer wet and soggy, it had hardened into clay. When a soldier stepped up to check, her arm flew up and the man's neck was caught in a vice grip. He fell over dead with a crack and the filming ceased suddenly, ending the clip.

Clint whistled low. "Lady you have one hell of a story."

"They _didn't_ lie about that part I guess. I did that!"

"That was educational." Lang said, clearly freaked out by Aleks even more and Sam looked bewildered.

"Some crazy shit."

Aleksa shook her head. "Well that was fun."

Steve shook his head and smiled at her. "You're nuts." Then he looked around, surveying the group. "Everyone looks ready. We'll-

An alarm sounded and Sam crossed his arms. "Looks like they're really evacuating the airport for good now. Stark's doing."

"Yep." Steve agreed, "Alright, change of plan. We need to find out where the quinjet is, since Tony probably already controls that chopper outside. Lets split up and move out."

While everyone filed out, Aleks was held back by Bucky. "Are you okay?" he asked.

The question surprised her but she smiled regardless. "Of course."

"You're not." Figures he could see right through her. It _was_ shocking to see your own death on a tiny video screen. She watched those girls die all over again right beside her like it was a movie and not something she'd lived.

Still, Aleks thought his worrying was very sweet and only appreciated him all the more for it. She stepped close and wrapped her arms around him. "I _will_ be fine."

It seemed to placate him because he reached for her neck and dragged her up to meet him for a kiss. It was warm and sweet and sent shivers down her spine. "I'm not going to get used to this." She said breathlessly.

"Keep you on your toes." He replied and wound his hands a little lower, rolling over her hips before cupping her ass.

"Oh really!" she gasped and slapped his arm playfully.

"You can't walk around like this and not expect me to grab you, sweetheart."

With a sigh she looked down and met with her own cleavage. When she looked back up at his face he was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "If I ever fight again with these people I am _never_ wearing this shit again."

"Oh come on, Aleks," he whined as she fought to dip out of his grasp. "I like it."

"Nope!"

ooo

The beginning of the fight was under way and they already seemed to have gotten compromised. Now Aleksandra watched Sam get kicked out of their running pack before Bucky threw out a fist, only to get it snagged by the scrawny kid in the red and blue suit. Not only had he _caught_ it, he pushed it back to take a good look at it.

"You have a metal arm! That is awesome, dude."

Sam flew by and grabbed him while Bucky remained behind looking bewildered. Feeling a little bad for him, Aleksandra leaned into Bucky's back and murmured, "He's adorable." The look he gave her said she was exasperating. "Oh come on, you're just mad he overpowered your arm. Can we keep him?"

"Whatever, doll, I just felt bad for the kid." He said as he lifted that arm around her shoulders and brought her in. "I have a feeling we might get separated out there..." He said seriously and caught her eye.

"Yeah but I'm a big girl, tiger."

With that he drug her in for a kiss, ignoring Falcon's barking over the comm for them to "knock that shit off and help" before releasing her.

"So are you guys are a thing?"

Aleksandra looked up at the voice and spotted the kid chilling against a pillar, peering down at them. "Sorry, babe," she said to him with a sigh, "you and I were never gonna work out." The sputtering of the poor kid had her wondering just how old he was. "So damn _adorable_."

She heard Bucky's huff of distaste at her back and before she or the kid expected it he threw a friggin flight departure sign at him.

"He's just a boy!" she shouted with laugher, watching the punk avoid it easily. Then she watched as that same object came flying back at Barnes.

"I think you dropped this!"

" _And_ he has witty one liners! Hey honey!" Bucky ignored her on purpose and tried to assist Sam, but soon enough they got their collective asses handed to them. The two men got plastered down on the lower level by webbing and looked pretty damn helpless. Deciding it was time to intervene, Aleksandra stepped over to save them from further embarrassment.

"All right, Spiderman," she said with her hands up and she saw his chest puff a bit at the moniker. "You sure kicked their asses...you mind be-bopping over to help Stark or something? Let these guys lick their wounds."

"Oh yeah, sure thing, lady! I-I mean, ma'am."

"Aleksa." She said as Redwing snagged the kid and dragged him away through the glass. She heard him scream as he fell.

Aleksandra looked down over what was left of the railing and laughed at the pair of them. They looked kind of pathetic stuck to the floor like that. "Oh man, you're _so_ _salty_ about a little kid beating you!"

"Easy for you to say, Red!" Sam barked, "All you had to do was bat your eyes at the kid and he ignored you!"

"Can't help the goods, Birdy, they're built in." She replied as she hopped down to help them get loose. Her claws made short work of the web and they were on their feet quickly.

"Alright we gotta meet up with the Cap."

"After you," Aleksandra said and felt Bucky at her ear.

"No, after _you_." He said with a growl. She wondered if you could melt by just hearing a couple words when he suddenly slapped her hard on the ass.

"Ouch!" She jumped and glared back at his smirking face.

" _That_ was for being on the kid's side." He said.

"Uh huh, and why is your hand still on my ass then?" she said with a frown.

"That's for me." He said with satisfaction as he gave her a push to follow Wilson.

ooo


	13. chapter 13

Chapter 13

"I didn't kill your father." Bucky sneered, as he fought to keep his face clear of of slahes.

"Then why did you run?"

The Black Panther threw Bucky into a pile of crates and lifted up his vibranium claws to slice his opponent's neck, but he never got the chance. Something caught the king's neck and threw him far enough away to give the soldier plenty of air.

Aleksandra stepped up and grabbed Bucky's collar with her own claws, dragging him to his feet. "You _really_ need to stop trying to play with cats." She said, with her breathing a little labored from the hefty kitten toss a moment before.

"Got you here didn't it?" he said with a grin and stole a quick kiss before they separated once more.

After that, they didn't get a chance for any more time together as the fights got mashed together and they were drawn all over. Bucky tried to keep her in his sights but the goal- his end goal- was to get to the jet. She had to run off and assist where she could and he had to let her.

ooo

"That all you got, Stark?" Aleks barked as she tried distracting Tony further while Scott did his tiny dude whatever inside the iron suit's systems.

"You know, these ain't exactly small!" the Iron Man said as he shot a separate barrage of rockets at the woman.

" _42-39-56 you can say she got it alllll!_ " Aleksandra sang and rolled to dodge an explosion.

" _Whole Lotta Woman!_ " Tony responded and held up his palm up in the air rather than towards her, for the moment. "I love that song. After my own heart with that kind of taste in music, chickadee. Why aren't you on my side?"

"Oh you know how it goes; got me a fella."

"Ah, well no accounting for taste in men."

"No but- _God damn it!"_

She spotted Vision destroying a tower across the tarmac in an attempt to stop Bucky and Cap from making it into the aircraft hanger. "Wanda!" she screamed and the younger woman turned to see the destruction before she raised her hands. She seemed to be holding onto it well enough before a screeching attack sent her to her knees, screaming.

Aleksandra looked over at War Machine with rage. She'd never seen Wanda in so much pain and it pissed her off. "Fucker!" she growled and ran at him, unsure of what she was going to do until she felt something building within her chest. It wasn't like the scream she'd done once before when Nicodemus died, but she wasn't going to question it.

"That's _my_ _Devushka_ you're messing with, you prick!" With a deep breath she got near the bastard and gripped her hands into fists. Energy piled up around herself and blue light blazed around them as she began screaming. Pure lightning erupted from her body and it shot the guy back, though his suit saved the brunt of both the attack and his landing into a cargo crate.

"What in the fuck was that?" he shouted, his suit on the fritz.

" _Don't_ try that again on her, you hear me?" she shouted and looked back at her friend on the ground. The Vision guy had just plopped down beside her and the young woman seemed almost relieved to see him. Sensing she wasn't going to have to bust some more ass, Aleksandra looked across the field to make sure Captain and Barnes made it. She spied the Panther chasing after them. "Oh hell no!"

She ran past Wanda and Vision shouting, "Have her back by ten!" before she put all she could into her speed. Letting go was easy and she made it right as the bastard was heading for the open hold on the quinjet. She used the momentum of her run to tackle the man hard and somehow locked him in a solid chokehold. It would have made Nico proud and while the guy was incredibly strong, he was just a human. She was more.

She looked up to see Bucky standing on the ramp looking conflicted and she yelled at him. "Get out of here!"

He almost looked like he wasn't going to listen, so she bore down tighter on the king's neck in her grip and locked eyes with her soldier. She could clearly handle the bastard in her grasp. "Get the _fuck_ out of here, Barnes! Take out those assholes before shit gets real."

Bucky still looked conflicted but he heard Steve yelling from inside the jet and took a few steps back before the door closed. She breathed a sigh of relief and continued grappling with the cat while the jet shot some debris out of the way. She could barely contain the bastard any longer, so she released him right before the aircraft took off.

With a sigh of relief she watched it leave safely. The king stepped up, just inside her periphery. He took off his mask to glare at her personally. "You got in my way again, woman."

"I'll step in front of that man every single time to protect him, your _highness_." She growled as she met his eyes.

"How can you care for a man such as he?" he practically seethed as he watched the jet getting away, even from the other fliers still chasing it.

"The same way anyone truly loves someone." Aleks said as looked away from him. "Completely."

ooo

Everyone on Cap's side got arrested, of course. They shoved the guys into cuffs and placed Wanda in some kind of collar like the one Aleksandra still wore. She didn't know how it came off and she wasn't going to risk tampering. Still, it hurt her to see Wanda suffering through that kind of degradation. A collar was oppressive.

As for Aleksandra, they tried a straightjacket on her too once they spotted her claws and saw her file. Clint made a joke in the vehicle about them only putting the women in straight jackets, "Because women are crazy? Eh?" It got droll looks from the two of them before guards shoved them away from the guys to enter a different helicopter.

"Aleksa, do you got any more new powers locked away in there?" Wanda asked, already shrinking into herself within the restraints.

Aleksandra sighed. She hated seeing her girl like this. "Not unless you like a little frizz in your hair. Besides, I can't will that up."

"You did it when you saw me get hurt." Wanda realized.

"Bingo." Aleksandra said. "I think it'd take something else like that..."

Wanda sighed and leaned her head against Aleksandra's. "This is shitty."

"You're telling me." She snapped. "We don't even get inflight service. I would _kill_ for a margarita."

"Don't ever change, _Matusa_."

" _Stop it_. You'll ruin my eye liner."

ooo

When they landed at the prison the guys had already arrived and were shoved into their respective cells. It sounded like a specialized version of gen-pop. The prison officials had apparently looked at Aleksandra's Hydra files and deemed her safe enough to be placed with the others because they began to lead her from Wanda's side.

"Hey!" she snapped. "No fucking way, you take me where she's going."

"You don't get demands, Ms. Romani." Secretary Ross sneered. "You were there. We assume you assisted with getting Barnes free, seeing as you waited around with the others."

"Look I'm out of jokes here, man. She's like my sister." Aleksandra pled. "I need to be with her."

Ross looked like he toyed with the idea and Wanda looked both appreciative of her friend's heartfelt words but also desperate for them to be true. "No." He snapped after a moment. "You were there. You worked for Hydra and you've known Maximoff for over a decade. I can't trust that you both don't have an alternative motive."

"You asshole." Aleksandra growled and caught Wanda's scared eyes. "Don't be afraid, _Devushka_. They won't hurt you. This place has codes of conduct. Plus, if I so much as think I heard you scream, I _will_ get you out, I swear it."

"Aleks..."

The sad voice nearly broke Aleksandra. In another lifetime it was her Nona pleading that name. "You'll be okay, _Devushka_." She said, as she fought tears from falling. They were dragging Wanda away and she turned to Ross. "If anyone hurts her- so much as says something to hurt her feelings- this place will _bleed_."

"As terrifying as that may be to imagine, _Valkyrie_ ," he said with a mocking sneer, "you're decidedly less scary without your claws and those non-existent abilities." _Ouch_.

She didn't get to shoot him a harsh glare because she was already being dragged away.

ooo

Tony showed up only hours later to beg them for the location where Rogers and Barnes went. Eventually Sam had given it to him.

"Hiya chickadee." The billionaire quipped as he stopped by her cell. "Still singing your praises for your boyfriend?"

"Wish I got the chance to _sing_ with him," she said with a raised brow and got Tony to guffaw. She couldn't help the dirty joke. "Oh hey, I guess Rhodes is quite familiar with _Thunderstruck_ now." Aleks said it, and then regretted it immediately. "Aw, shit...too soon huh."

"Well seeing as I think he's gonna be okay I can let it slide." Tony said. "Besides that was a decent pun."

"I thought so. You can tell him that was the first time I've shit out lightning like that too."

"Yeah? Thunder cherry. I'll tell him. He'd like that one." Tony said. "At they made sure you can at least hug yourself from time to time. That's nice."

"Touché, Stark." She said from within the straightjacket they'd yet to remove. "Touché."

"Well don't get too comfy, Ross decided you should be let loose."

_"Wha?"_

"Beauty _and_ brains," Tony said with a sigh. "Listen you're not an Avenger. You never did anything wrong. Plus you kinda did sit on the sidelines, weeping."

Aleksandra realized they had an audience listening in, but it was so hard to bite her tongue and go along with it. "I didn't cry."

"A little." When she glared he shrugged. "Anyway I'm taking you back to the News Avengers Facility. Terrible name, by the way" He shook his head. "We can monitor you there, since you _are_ an enhanced. You'll be added to the database."

She sighed and tried to look sad. "You think he'll be okay?"

"Barnes? When they find him he'll be brought back to the states. Probably here."

She watched as some guards strolled over and opened her cell. They hauled her out and then pulled her along after Tony. Before she cleared the room she caught the eye of Sam.

"Be careful, Aleksa." He said meaningfully and she nodded.

"Don't lick any icicles!" Barton shouted right before the doors slammed behind her.

When they passed Ross she glared but didn't say anything. He, however, did speak. "Ms. Romani take this as a first and only chance. If you step out of line, you'll be very sorry we made this exception."

"Just do the right thing and treat Wanda well." She snapped and hopped into Tony's jet. She sat across from him and frowned as the bay doors above opened and the helicopter took off. With no pilot of course.

"Ms. Romani there are some personal affects of Ms. Potts if you would like to change from the prison apparel."

She looked from Tony's face and around the cab. "Um. Thanks."

"Yeah," Stark said with a stony-set jaw. "Guess my, um, _ex_ left her workout gear here."

"Ah." She muttered as she opened the bag she was directed to. "Are these gonna fit?"

"Not sure, she's a lot taller than you but you can roll up the pants or something."

"Har har." She muttered and saw there were yoga pants in the bag. "God damnit...more 'hey look at my ass' pants."

"God's gift to men." Tony quipped as he turned to flip through his phone, giving her as much privacy as possible in the small cab.

Once she was dressed she stood and just ripped the extra material off the pant legs. Other than that, they fit fine and she looked like she was ready to go to a swanky workout gym. Lucky for her the cold didn't affect her as badly because the thin material of the pants and track jacket would have been an issue. The flat shoes in the bag were a little big but they would work out.

"Okay, so whats the plan?" she said.

Tony looked up and motioned to the seat beside him. "Finger that there hole and we'll be off." He did so to his own and his iron suit molded over him quickly before he was dragged back into the seat and disappeared. Her chuckle at his words froze in her throat.

"Oh sweet baby Jesus," she muttered, very intimidated and none too pleased. But then she thought of Bucky facing Josef on his own. "The stupid shit I do for that man," she growled and sat in the plush leather seat with care, wiggling her fingers before jabbing a claw into the slot indicated.

"Oh my god, holy shit, oh _fuck!_ " She squeaked as a twin of Tony's suit molded around her body like his had. Then she dropped out of the helicopter towards the raging ocean water below and Tony could be heard in her helmet, laughing at her plethora of screams.

ooo

Yay double post. This story is caught up to the one on ff so updates will be slower but they will happen! Only a few more chapters left now...


	14. Chapter 14

_I have a wee block on how to finish this. Haven't decided on Bucky going under or not...I shall figure it out! I'm almost done with chapter 15 and there will only be a few chapters left :)_

Chapter 14

"She's gotta be pushing a hundred by now." Bucky said .

"So are we pal," Steve muttered as they stepped out into the snow. "Speaking of old ladies..."

"Don't start, punk." Bucky said, using the nickname easily. It had Steve smiling widely as he watched his friend walk away from him quickly.

"No really, you and Aleks seem close. She said it's hard to explain."

"It is." Bucky said but considered how he would willingly kill again to keep her safe. He wanted her happy and protected. From the sound of it, she would be safe enough with the others on Steve's team. Probably in jail, but his friend assured him they'd find a way to get them out and free once more. "All I know is, I care about her."

"Hey, no argument from me. I like the gal." Steve said. "Easy to see she's got you 'round her little finger...even if you are a jerk."

"Shut up, you ass." Bucky snapped without bite. He turned and saw Steve trying not to laugh. "What about that girl _you_ got?"

"Lets just hop to this, already." Steve evaded as they made it to the heavy doors.

ooo

The air had gotten serious quick and once the elevator stopped, Bucky and Steve shared a look of understanding before exiting. They moved across the open area efficiently, checking a corridor before advancing up the stairs. When they heard a crunch of metal from behind, they spun and waited to see who the hell would emerge from the closed doors of the elevator. Both of them stood stock still, poised for a fight.

"You ready?" Rogers said as Bucky nodded behind him.

"Yeah."

The doors were pushed open forcefully and behind them was Stark in his iron suit. Once he stepped out, his mask slid back to reveal his face. "You seem a little defensive." The billionaire said loudly.

"It's been a long day." Steve replied sounding almost relieved. Bucky didn't feel the same.

"At ease solider I'm not currently after you." Tony said to him, snark being obvious in his tone.

"Then why are you here?" Steve interjected.

Tony shrugged. "Maybe your story's not so crazy." He said and leaned against the wall. "Ross has no idea we're here. I'd like to keep it that way."

"No one did except Sam or Aleksa." Steve added.

"Oh I don't mean _us_ , I mean us." Tony said and as if on cue they heard a bunch of banging from the alcove Bucky had already passed. Instantly the Captain spun toward it and Bucky felt his adrenaline rising once again. He lifted the assault rifle and waited for the stranger to emerge. He heard rather than saw Steve relax.

"What the heck,"

Out popped Aleksandra with cobwebs in her hair and dust all over her black clothes. "Shit!" she cried and slapped a rather large spider on her leg. "In hind sight, that way was _not_ as clear as I remember."

"Could have just come down with me, half-pint." Tony said and she shook her head fast.

"Fuck. _That_. I had enough time in that fucking tin can. I'd rather get bit by spiders for eternity than spend one more minute in the suit."

"You had FRIDAY to fly for you," When she glared he glanced away and noticed Bucky still had the gun pointing her way despite his obvious surprise at seeing her. "Hey Manchurian Candidate," he barked, "There's a truce going on here, you can drop it. Lookie, I even brought you a gift. There, take her."

Aleksandra turned her head, realizing she'd popped out at the bottom of the steps near where Bucky was crouched. She looked up, happy to see him. "Hi!" she said and he let out a heavy sigh, lowering the gun.

"Jesus Christ, doll." He muttered and she hopped up the steps to pass him, setting a hand on his shoulder as she went.

"We should really get moving." She said as Bucky stood and pulled her to the side. Once both Tony and Steve passed, he looked down at her.

"I was sure I wouldn't see you again," he said, "not free, anyway."

"Oh I went to jail. Tony got me out."

Bucky sighed. "You'd be safer there than here."

"So would you," she countered with a raised eyebrow. "And do you remember what we decided? It's me and you, _James Buchanan Barnes_ , and don't you forget it."

He smiled at her warmly and grabbed her hand, rubbing his calloused thumb over the back of hers. "You and me, sweetheart." When he brought those joined hands to his chest she felt like her body heat had just turned up from simmer to boil. They _really_ needed some alone time.

"God, you're too charming for your own good." She said, trying to hide her blush. He didn't say anything, just pulled her closer. The kiss was over all too fast but it left her claws curling and his pants a little tighter.

ooo

They trailed behind Tony and Steve, the air serious once more. When they entered the massive room where they kept the assets, Tony mentioned he got heat signatures, but really just one.

"If it's any comfort...they died in their sleep." They all jumped, listened to Zemo speak. As Aleks and Bucky passed the chair in the middle of the room she perceived his discomfort and moved up.

"This is wrong." He murmured and she saw the lifeless eyes of Josef within the pod, blood splattering the glass within.

"What the hell?"

A light switch flipped and they could see Zemo, sheltered within the blast chamber. Steve tossed his shield and looked utterly pissed when it came flying back without leaving damage. He advanced to get up close and personal with Zemo, starring him down through the glass.

Aleks followed Bucky as they moved closer, listening in on the conversation between Steve and Zemo. The guy was finally revealing his M.O. and it meant he was willing to do anything for revenge.

"I've lost everyone...and so will you." To the right of Steve, a console turned on and each of them glanced at it. The screen said December 16th 1991. "An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again." Zemo said. "But one which crumbles from within? That's dead forever."

Tony looked visibly shaken as he saw the date, saying aloud that he knew the road. "What is this?" he barked, though he didn't receive an answer.

Aleksa watched the accident unfold, saw the motorcycle swerve back to the scene and park. When she saw the figure in the film step around the car's trunk towards the man on the ground, she got chills. Something was obviously hugely significant to this date and the people there.

She glanced to her right and saw how rigid her soldier was. He practically vibrated with anxiety. With the date in her mind, she knew that was before she'd met him, which she thought had been around Christmas. This must have been only weeks before.

When the man on the ground in the film raised his head, he said a name in recognition. "Sergeant Barnes."

Aleksa quickly put two and two together. She glanced at Bucky then to Tony who looked shaken and angry. _Fuck..._

The man Howard was beaten down and placed in the car, while the Winter Soldier walked around and killed the woman still inside. Then he quickly moved to shoot out the camera.

Stark moved fast but Aleksa had already planted herself in front of Bucky. He was so shell-shocked, tears visible in his eyes, that he didn't even try to budge her. When Steve caught Tony's arm to contain him, Stark looked past her at Bucky with rage. The Iron man took a quick glance at Aleksa's face and the arm she'd thrown up around Bucky, protecting him despite her short stature. Tony sneered before he spun around to confront the Captain.

"Did you know?"

Steve looked at Stark reluctantly. "I didn't know it was him-

"Don't bullshit me, Rogers! Did you know?"

When Steve finally said, " _Yes_ " Aleksandra could feel her skin crawl. There was no way Tony would back down now...

There was a moment of tense silence before Tony struck Steve and turned upon the two of them, weapon in their faces. " _Move_ , half-pint."

"Fuck you!" she shouted back.

Tony fired as his answer, forcing Bucky to shove her out of the way. She yelped, surprised by the move and watched them grapple with one another before Stark's jets shot them both across the room. Aleksandra practically growled as she leapt to her feet. She was running for them as Steve intercepted a blast aiming for Bucky's head.

She wasn't quick enough as Tony grabbed her solider and once again slammed him across the room. The Iron bastard attempted to shoot a rocket at his face, but Bucky grabbed Tony's arm in time to block. The projectile flew into the heavy pipe system instead and the room started to fall apart.

"Shit!" Aleksa barked, dodging falling rubble and metal. She made it to Steve's side and he only gave her a glance as he grabbed her arm and threw her bodily toward the exit. Aleksandra landed on her feet, shockingly, but watched as shit went south really fast. Tony got pinned and Steve shouted for Bucky to run.

Her solider looked her way and didn't need to be told twice. He bolted for her side and put a hand on her back to urge her forward. "Run!" he barked and she obeyed just in time for them to avoid a rocket to the face.

They could hear shit going down behind them but they continued forward. Bucky hit a button for the controls of the circular bay door above and they began to climb. He would toss her up a rung and she'd reach down to pull him up. They made decent progress until Tony flew at them and Bucky was tossed away from her.

"Fuck, fuck," she whimpered, seriously worried now as she watched Bucky getting slammed around. When he hit the wall and stayed down a moment in pain, Stark readied to take advantage.

"Steve!" she screamed and he leapt to her side, literally tossing her up the levels to reach them. She clawed at the metal grate, dragged herself up and plastered herself over Bucky to stare at the man in the iron suit.

"Tony, _please!_ " she screamed.

"I'll shoot you to get to him!" he warned, not playing around whatsoever. She realized then that he was not trying to harm. He was trying to kill.

" _Aleksa!_ " She down in time to see the shield flying at her face and she flung out a forearm to stop it. It connected- _hard_ \- snapping something lovely beneath her skin, but she successfully stopped it. She scrambled one-armed in time to wield it, blocking the blast that came from Tony's laser.

She didn't see as Steve reached them and kicked Tony down a few levels. Adrenaline lowering just slightly, she realized Bucky had her by the waist, panting with his head against her shoulder. "Jesus Christ, Aleks..." he sounded upset.

"That was stupid," she hissed and looked down at her now useless right arm.

"Guess I didn't take all of it with me," Bucky muttered and looked up at Steve who was shaking his head at them.

"Officially...you two are both _stupid_." Aleksandra laughed and Bucky pulled her to her feet. "He's not gonna stop." Steve warned. "He'll be back up in a sec. Go!"

Bucky tossed her up a couple of levels and she grabbed the metal with her good arm where she waited until he got to her. When he did, he pulled her up, brought her close and did it again until they made it to the ladder. "Go, Aleks." He ordered and urged her up with his hands.

"Follow me," she demanded, catching his eye.

"I'm behind ya, doll, just go!"

They started the climb and Aleksa, with her arm cradled to her chest, still advanced quickly. She had just made it to the concrete platform when an explosion to their right jolted them. The weight of the metal door brought it down fast and she only had an instant to feel Bucky shoving her out of the way before it slammed down.

"No!" Aleksandra screamed as she slid into the snow, using both arms to scramble to get to her feet. She felt tears stinging as she fell back down, having forgotten that her right arm was completely useless. When she looked up, the door was completely sealing her way back to him. "Fuck," she squeaked as she tried to fight back a sob.

Finally she got to her feet and ran towards the entrance as fast as she could. She cradled her arm as she went and had difficulty breathing while desperately trying to not cry out of frustration and fear.

As she got closer she spotted the Black Panther skulking down the hill and out of sight. "Oh hell no," she growled and followed quietly. It rounded her back a bit, but she was not about to let the cat try to kill Bucky along with Tony.

She pulled out a pen she'd kept on her person since Stark's chopper and moved up, preparing to strike. Then she heard Zemo speaking. Knowing that prick was right there she was unable to strike T'Challa now. She needed to listen.

When it became clear that the Panther no longer wished to kill her man, she would allow him to walk away unharmed. But not Zemo...

She moved to strike, but the man tried to take the coward's way out by shoving a gun beneath his jaw. T'Challa was quick and intercepted the shot with his armored hand before locking the asshole in a headlock. "The living are not done with you yet." He said calmly.

Aleksandra allowed herself to begrudgingly agree with the king, but she was not letting him get away from there unscathed.

T'Challa held Zemo tight and moved to get him standing when the redhead appeared out of nowhere. Her hair was coated in snowflakes and flew wildly in the wind as her hand flew overhead, wielding a weapon. She was far too quick for him to stop her, and the king ended up feeling Zemo jerk and sputter in his arms.

When T'Challa looked down, the man had a pen lodged in his chest.

The struggling gasps of his prisoner told him she'd injured him decisively and the king looked up at her, speechless. She stood there with pure rage in her eyes, though she calmly cradled the arm at her side and just glared down at Zemo.

"Are you finished?" T'Challa asked seriously.

"It's nothing he can't recover from. Collapsed lung, worst case scenario." She snapped and looked at the king. "In other words: yeah, I'm done."

With that she spun around to head back to the doors, but sounds of fighting reached her ears. Aleksandra turned and ran toward the them, reaching a cliff. The sounds reverberated up and when she looked down, she spotted a concrete ledge and knew they were there. She took a single breath and stepped off the side, leaving behind nothing but a whirl of snow and the pen lodged in a man's chest.

ooo

_Thank you for all the kudos and comments everyone! Sorry, btw, for the cliff hanger...heh...literally._


	15. Chapter 15

Okay! All caught up with what I've written. I'll still update for chapter 16 on thurs or friday :)

Chapter 15

Her claws ripped into the concrete to stop her fall. She lost two of them to the stunt, but she didn't care. They were going to get her back into the silo and in the fight. Although, when she saw Bucky lying on the ground not moving, all that energy left her.

Aleksandra hauled herself up with the one arm, slamming her remaining claws into the surface for purchase before she got a leg up and hauled her body over. Her eyes never left her soldier on the ground. She rushed forward, dodging the two still brawling and threw a leg over Bucky's prone body, dragging herself close as she checked him for a heart beat.

"No, no," she whimpered as she spotting that his iconic metal arm was literally blown away. There was nothing but a bit left of the shoulder. Her hand shook over the empty area where his arm should be, as if trying to feel it was really gone. "Come on, James." She cried, tears finally rolling down her cheeks as she ran her fingers through his hair, over the stubble on his cheek. "Bucky, _please!_ "

" _Aleks_ ,"

"Holy fuck," she cried and scooted closer, setting her forehead against his. "Stay with me."

"Not goin' anywhere." He said and inclined his head slowly to look at the ongoing fight. "Steve,"

She looked up and spotted the captain getting his ass handed to him. When Tony staggered back, saying "Stay down," she kicked out and landed a solid blow to the back of his knee.

Crazy tech or not, the combo between her anger and natural strength was enough to bring the suit down before she reared back a fist and slammed it into his head. It hurt her hand even further, but it did the damn job. The helmet shattered part as Steve appeared and beat Tony into the ground.

She was torn between watching the emotional fight, and keeping an eye on Bucky's chest rise and fall. Once the shield destroyed the arc reactor in Stark's suit, the battle was officially over. No one felt good about the win. There was nothing positive about the situation at all except that nobody had died.

Steve eventually got to his feet and stumbled over to help her soldier up. She got under Bucky's wounded shoulder, careful not to hurt him. She wasn't sure how many nerve endings were left, or if any ever existed in the metal arm, but it was gone now.

"You don't deserve it..." Tony muttered and looked at them leaving. "My father made that shield!"

She looked over at Steve and saw him look down, practically watched him agree. It took almost nothing for him to drop it. The heavy clang echoed throughout the chamber, dulling the sound of their footsteps as they left Tony.

ooo

During the flight to Africa, Aleksandra dozed off and on beside Bucky while Steve flew the quinjet. She had her back against a bulkhead and her fingers running through his hair. Already her nails were growing back but her arm had yet to heal. She didn't know if there was food stashed somewhere, but it would have helped.

There was dried blood in Bucky's hair, but she was careful not to pull the strands. He'd been pumped with pain meds, and even she was forced to take some when Steve saw the state of her hands and arm.

T'Challa had offered them sanctuary before they'd left Siberia, specifically Bucky. The king greatly regretted his actions and he'd told the man he owed him a debt. He had blamed the wrong one for his father's death and he wanted to atone. They'd also left Zemo secured for Tony just inside the facility. He should be the one to deliver the asshole to proper authorities, considering at least two of them were wanted criminals.

 _Fuck Zemo_. She thought with a sneer and pushed him out of her mind. When she looked down Bucky was watching her.

"Come here often, doll?"

Her bark of laughter shook the cot. "You almost died and you're hitting on me?"

"There's a good looking woman runnin' her hand through my hair." He said with a grin. "I'd say that's not a bad ending to my day at all."

"This is the best ending you could have thought of?" she asked coyly and ran her good hand back over once more. Her nails skimmed his scalp and she could see it affected him. He practically purred.

"Day isn't over yet." He said, his voice husky.

"No it's not." she said and got up, hissing a little as she moved. Both of them were battered. "Though, considering you need some serious medical attention we'll just have to try our best."

"What'd ya got in mind, sweetheart?"

Aleksandra didn't answer but she did glance around the corner and saw the captain in conversation with T'Challa over the comm. Satisfied, she turned back with a conspiratorial smile. She didn't exactly feel sexy as she limped back, but Bucky didn't seem to mind when she lifted a leg over his hips and settled over him.

"Tell me if I'm hurting you." She murmured as his remaining hand roamed down her back and over the curve of her ass. He chuckled at her words.

"Right, because that's going to happen."

She sat up and jerked her hips forward, silencing his light laughter. "Don't be stubborn, _James_. We've got time."

"I've never had time." He growled as he watched her bring his hand up to place it on her breast over the track jacket. He wanted it gone.

"You will." Aleks leaned over him carefully with her good arm supporting her as she caught his lips. Though broken and battered, their lust for one another grew fast and they fought for purchase. Too swept up, she leaned on her bad limb and he had a hard time righting her with just the one arm. They pulled back, aching a little from their injuries.

"My balance is way off." He muttered, clearly annoyed but not ready to give up. The remaining hand he did have was skilled nonetheless and he pulled her back down. When their mouths met his fingers twined in her hair and pulled a little, causing her to moan appreciatively.

"Either this jet is moving or I am," she murmured with a smile and he laughed.

"Think we're landing." He said and squeezed her. "We _are_ gonna do this again right?"

"Oh we're finishing this." She said and pushed up and away. Bucky starting shuffling when they hear Steve walking over. He must have put it on autopilot.

She noticed the reason for her soldier's frustrated movements when she spied the boner tenting his pants. "Ah ha..." she snickered and he grinned at her like a devil. "Knew I felt that."

He was unable to sit up so she sat back down in front of his hips, blocking the view just as Steve stepped in view. "We're ready to land." He said and looked at the two of them. They each looked like they were trying not to laugh. "You two look like the cat who got the canary."

"Maybe she did." Aleksandra said airily as she inspected the nails of her good hand. Bucky barked out a laugh and Rogers looked suspiciously like he was blushing. "So what's the plan, Cap?"

"Everyone's getting medical attention, first off." Steve said, "Then we have to consider some options. I need to get the others out of that jail, though, so that is the second step."

"Agreed." She said. "I'm helping." She ignored Bucky's sigh behind her.

"You sure?" Steve asked.

"My girl Wanda is in there. She's got a collar on, a lot like this piece of shit, I'm sure," she pointed to the metal band resting at the bottom of her neck, "and they put her in a fucking straightjacket. I'll be damned if I'll let her stay there any longer than she has to."

Rodgers actually looked relieved. "Alright, I could use the help. You'll come with then."

"You got a plan to get in there?" she pushed, and Steve smiled.

"King T'Challa is incredibly generous. We've got some nice tech on our side for this."

"Oh my god, I'm so excited." She said and looked back at Bucky. "Don't worry. I won't get put back in the slammer."

"It's not gonna happen, Buck." Steve added, supporting her. "We'll be back asap."

"Oh stop looking so put out, babe." She said and reached back to pat Bucky's head. He looked decidedly even more put out.

"We're gonna talk about that collar you're wearing, doll."

Aleksandra shrugged. "It's old and it hasn't hurt me in a long time. Besides I don't know how to get it off."

He was about to retort when the plane shook and she yipped in surprise. "Why is flying so fucking horrible!"

He would be bringing the subject back up soon...

ooo

Bucky awaited Aleks and Steve's return by making his various medical appointments and wandering around the compound until his meeting with the king. Since they'd left it had been a full 24 hours at least and he hadn't heard a damn thing.

In the meantime, T'Challa had ordered a dorm of sorts to be prepared for them all, including the others once they were free. They would be staying there until further notice. He'd chosen a room and hoped Aleks would bunk with him. As she'd said, they had something important to finish.

He'd grinned as he took a quick shower but that was the only time he'd been in a good mood all day. He hated that both she and his best friend were on a mission without him. On top of it all, he felt utterly useless and off balance without his arm. He hadn't thought missing a limb would throw off his entire gait.

Bucky was also hounded by guilt. He felt like shit that he had been the reason all Steve's allies went to jail and became criminals. Sure they followed their friend and leader, but Steve had done it for him.

He didn't stew on it much longer as he wandered into the common area, which contained with couches and a kitchen, because an attendant appeared at the open doors. "Mr. Barnes, the king would like to see you now."

He nodded and followed the man out.

"Mr. Barnes," T'Challa said as he entered the expansive office. The eastern wall was full of windows and the mist could be seen rising up as the sun was going down.

"Your highness." He still felt a little strained being near the guy and more than a little weird that he was really talking to a king- one who had tried to kill him numerous times.

"T'Challa, please." The man said. "I wanted to offer to you my sincere apologies once more."

"It's uh, it's alright, T'Challa." Bucky said, feeling uncomfortable with the formality.

"I would like to offer you an opportunity. I believe I can replace your lost arm, and I understand it may take a month or two for all the components to arrive, but our doctors and engineers assured me it can be done." The king looked proud as and said, "The plan is for it to contain plated vibranium."

Bucky actually smirked. He wanted to act humble, wanted to wave his remaining hand to say no. But he _really_ wanted that arm. "Wow, I don't know what to say except thank you and I'll take it."

T'Challa returned the smirk. "I'm glad you are excited," he said before getting serious. "Now, I understand you asked your doctor today for a solution for your mind?"

"That's right."

"I have sent out numerous requests over secure channels looking for anything. It may take some time to retrieve an answer."

Bucky looked serious. He thought of what he'd done, how many people got hurt when Zemo spoke the words that turned him into the emotionless Winter Soldier. He thought about Aleks and was thankful he hadn't seen her hurt. He knew would never let her get near him again if he had. He wished he could be selfish in this case, but he just couldn't.

"Do you have a cryo unit?" he asked suddenly.

T'Challa looked surprised. "You are...interested in returning to stasis?"

Bucky met the king's gaze, looking both miserable but convicted. "I am."

ooo

Ugh! Thanks ya'll we're nearing the end soon...

 


	16. Chapter 16

Okay ya'll...there are sex scenes in this chapter so...be aware :) please enjoy!

Chapter 16

Bucky was walking back to the common area when he heard voices coming out through the open door way. They were back.

He dashed forward and looked in, spying a few of them around the kitchen counter with various beers and liquor. Barton, Lang and Steve were present and they were already digging into trays of food. He didn't see Aleks so he stepped over to the kitchen island.

"Holy crap man, uh, I mean, it's good to see you!" Lang had spotted him first, and apparently his absent appendage. Bucky frowned but nodded. Clint acknowledged him with a nod and the raising of his glass while Steve looked happy.

"Good to see you out and about so fast, Buck."

"Not too much was damaged." He replied and spotted Wanda walking out in fresh clothes from the hallway. "Aleks?" he said to her and the witch answered as she grabbed a sandwich.

"She's in her room getting cleaned up. She said she hasn't had a proper shower in a few days."

Bucky nodded and had just decided to go recline on the couch with a beer to wait when a plate loaded with food was held aloft in his face.

"Take it to her." Wanda said with a smile. "She's going to need some food for healing and she should be done getting ready by now." Wanda held out a plate loaded with sandwiches and some other treats from the spread on the counter. He liked this girl.

Without argument he took the plate. "Thanks, Wanda."

She smiled easily at him and nodded. "She's the first door on the left." Bucky didn't bat an eye but inside he was pretty pleased. That was his room.

He didn't want to cause a scene because he was sure the others had a clue of what they _wanted_ to do, so he simply nodded to the others. He felt Steve slap his shoulder as he turned to walk away.

Once he was out of earshot, Wanda let out a laugh.

"What's so funny?" the Captain asked.

"She actually went into his room when we got back."

"Huh?"

"And she is definitely _not_ out of the shower." Wanda said with a smirk and twined her fingers to pull a beer into her waiting hand across the table. With a self-satisfied look she took a swig. "Aleksa said she was going to take her time."

"You're a crafty, witch." Barton said approvingly. "Maybe the Siberian icicle will get a little thawed out today."

"I don't get..." Steve began and then he said, " _Oh,_ Jesus Christ, you guys... I really don't need to hear that."

"You dareth take the Lord's name in vain?"

"Oh shut the hell up, Clint."

ooo

When Bucky entered the room- their room he guessed- he spotted clothing everywhere. It may have been a trail, but it was like she'd tossed things across the room. She'd started with her boots, he noticed, obviously having kicked one across the room. Then the Kevlar lined shirt she'd been given had landed on a lamp.

Bucky shook his head with a grin as he set the food down on a dresser. He noticed she'd tossed her pants nearby and spotted her bra on the floor before his eyes rose to the cracked door of the bathroom.

He could hear water running as he took a step forward. Bucky raised his hand to rap his knuckle on the door, but caught sight of her in the mirror through the crack. Her slim shoulders were clearly visible, though the heat of the water misted the glass of the shower doors. The outline of her hips and obvious curve of her ass had him inhale sharply.

Bucky looked away feeling like a Peeping Tom, before he remembered how much they both wanted this kind of time alone. _And I sure as hell ain't no Saint..._

His eyes shot back up and sought out the curve of her hips again. He nearly bit his hand when he spotted a tattoo running up her back, but he was distracted when he noticed a very fresh wound in her shoulder. She'd been _shot._ He felt fear and anger as he watched red run from the wound. He didn't think, he just moved.

ooo

One minute Aleks was basking in the heat of the shower and the next the glass door was yanked open and in walked a wall of pure male- _right_ _into_ her shower water. Bucky's large body dwarfed hers, especially now in the small space.

"Get the piss outta here with that cold air!" she snapped as she covered her breasts and found herself being nudged so he could get a look at her arm. "Easy! It's still sore," She murmured and he gave her a dark look.

"Sore? It's a bleeding god damn bullet wound."

Water was pelting his head and his hair was already soaked but she couldn't find it in herself to laugh. Bucky looked pissed. Aleks stilled glared right back with her arms over her chest. Her hair covered much but he was trying to pull her near to look at the damage left by the bullet. She was glad the shotgun spray had already healed on her right side or he might have lost his ever-loving shit.

Aleks struggled against him, mostly out of spite. He didn't seem to notice he was fully clothed inside a running shower, but she did and it was _hot_. His clothes were soaked through now and he'd finally been able to drag her closer to get a good look at the injury. Bucky was no less imposing without his arm and his right overpowered her easily, which was annoying. She also felt a little disappointed that she remained subject to his inspection and he didn't even bat an eye that she was naked. Until he did...

He suddenly seemed to realize where exactly he was and looked down over her body. She blushed but wasn't about to cower for cover. She lifted her chin and huffed. The guy could deal with some embarrassment. "Happy now?" she said. "Bullet went clean through. I just need to eat and I'll be fine. It's healing on its own anyway..."

He didn't move and continued to stand under the spray where it his shoulder, but his eyes had begun traveling. "Why didn't you get help first." He didn't like she'd been shot and reacted so casually.

"Shower beats food, in this case." She said and turned so her back was to him and she was beneath the water too. "Now unless you want to stay in here with me, close the damn door. I've got conditioner to rinse out."

Bucky was so surprised by those words to come out of her mouth he didn't know how to react. He remained and watched her rinse her hair, running her hands through it. Blood streamed from the gunshot wound with the water but it looked like it was stopping. She looked over her shoulder at him and grinned.

"So, staying or going?" He blushed a little and looked down at his own soaked clothing. "What do you _want_ to do?" she murmured and he looked up.

"I wanna stay." The look he gave her said so much he needn't have spoken, but she was glad he did. His gravelly voice practically had her claws curling.

"I was hoping you'd say that." She whispered and turned around fully. He blushed further when he realized how foolish he looked bombarding her shower, but the embarrassment had its perks. With her approval and initiating contact by lifting her hands up to the hem of his shirt, he allowed himself to drink in the sight of her.

Her hips flared out slightly from a slim waist and her pale skin was dusted with freckles, particularly on her shoulder and collar bone- below the collar she wore.

"How do you get this off?" he murmured and raised his hand to touch it. When she flinched, he jerked his hand back and felt like murdering ever fucker still with Hydra. "Did they use this thing hurt you?"

She met his eye and sighed. "More like tried to burn my head off..."

"Your handler in Siberia?" he snapped.

"Nico avoided using it, but...others have."

"Are they still alive?"

Her laugher echoed off the tiles and it lighted his mood. "Look! He smiles." Aleks brought his hand around her waist and his body instantly reacted, leaning in with the obvious permission to touch. "We can talk about maiming them later...and maybe getting the damn thing off. For now, I'm all cleaned up." She grinned and he shook his head.

"I got damn lucky with you, sweetheart."

"I know...class, humor...not killing you for seeing me naked first. Speaking of..." She pulled on his shirt and he quickly obeyed her insistent fingers. The wet shirt hit the floor and he dragged her close to take her lips.

Her body curved up to met him as he wrapped his arm around to pull her close. The skin of her back was soft against his calloused fingers and he felt her nails on his back. It was clear she was trying to be careful because they could get so sharp, but he didn't mind. It made him feel grounded, alive, and sure this wasn't a dream when they nicked him.

When Aleks turned her head away for air he quickly took advantage and nipped her neck with blunt teeth. Her gasp of appreciation made him feel incredibly thankful he could be there with her. He'd been alone a long time and the trust of anyone was hard to gain; yet she trusted him. _Fuck_ , he thought as she ran her claws through his hair again. He knew he felt a whole hell of a lot more than just trust for her. Maybe he should tell her...

His mind went blank when she slipped her hand into his pants and took his ear between her teeth. "Wow," she purred as she gripped him. Any blood left in his head went right to his dick. "Come here often?"

Bucky grabbed her ass so fiercely that her feet went off the wet tiles. "Plannin' on it, doll." Her legs wrapped around his hips and he slammed open the shower door. "I plan on stickin' around for a little bit."

"Good," she said, eyes bright as she was brought into the bedroom. He stopped at the bed and instead of tossing her on it he lowered her slowly, holding her close as if not wanting to lose the contact.

He held her face in his hand and kissed her so thoroughly she wondered if she'd melt into the plush rug under her feet. "Bucky," she murmured, "I _need_ you."

They practically dove for his pants. Being just sweats, they fell off with ease and he soon crouched over her while she crawled back onto the bed. Her legs opened for him to slide between and though he only had the one hand to support himself, she explored his chest and reached for his cock. He moaned as she held and stroked him confidently.

"Damn," he said as his eyes explored the sight of her beneath him. Her breasts were full and awaited his attention, with her red hair dripping water on them. "Never had a gal grab me like this."

Aleks smiled and stroked him again as his head landed on her shoulder. "I had some fun as a teenager...and a couple flings when I was older." She said as she pushed him onto his back. "So you know, my Nona was Catholic and I listened to her rules. I may have fooled around a lot but I never got to home base."

Bucky watched as she rose over him, her legs straddling his hips with his cock resting at her entrance. He could see so much and he licked his lips, waiting for her to move. "So, you're inexperienced?"

She laughed lightly and shook her head. "Oh, my poor James...no, I know just how to make both of us feel _really_ good." She rolled her hips, teasing him but not allowing him entry and he groaned.

"Oh god, Aleks, be merciful." His words were joking but he looked pained.

"I might." She said and he rolled his hand over the soft skin of her waist and up. She arched her back wantonly and purred as his large hand covered her left breast. "Only because you're being so... _good_."

She moved her hips just so, easily slipping the head of his cock inside and they both moaned. His hand covered her hip as she sat back and took him all the way in. He watched her face to check for any pain but all he saw expressed was pleasure. So he moved.

Aleks moaned loudly and grasped his shoulders for purchase. " _Oh_ , shit," she murmured and caught his eye. "Guess there's some things I don't know."

"One or two things, maybe." Bucky said and pushed her onto her back without losing contact or depth. He thrust deep and Aleks arched into him, her claws gripping his shoulders.

They moved together, joined and learning one another's body. They were all at once rough but gentle, passionate but careful. Neither of them wanted this time to end; it was the first time for both of them in many ways. For Bucky it was the first time he couple remember knowing complete trust in someone with the same trust returned. Of course it'd been decades since his last sexual encounter and the same for her. They were drowning together in the best way a human can.

ooo

"So...I've been thinking." Bucky said, his hand rubbing circles on her back as she lied against his chest.

"Was I that boring?"

He grinned down at her. "I _really_ don't think that's a problem." She just smiled and shook her head.

"Well, what did you come up with, tiger?"

"So I...talked to T'Challa."

"Oh! Very scandalous."

He reddened at her words. She was only trying to keep it easy on him, could sense his nervousness, but it only made him feel guiltier for what he was about to admit. "I asked him about...cryostasis while you were gone." Bucky knew Aleks was listening closely because she'd slowed her breathing. "I asked him about a unit here. I'm...considering going under again."

It was quiet for a long time before Aleksandra spoke. She sat up and leaned on his chest to look at him "Why? Do you want that?"

" _No_...but I have to think about what I did to you. I almost killed you, Aleks. All because of a couple fucking words."

"You think it could happen again?"

"It could." he muttered.

Aleks looked thoughtful, trying to understand. It was easy to be selfish but none of them had any idea what it was like to live in fear of yourself, of losing control. "Bucky..." She lifted her hand to twine her fingers with his. "I think you should do what feels right."

He met her eyes and dropped his head back on the pillow. "Sounds easy..."

Aleks smiled solemnly. "Regardless of what you choose...I'll be here no matter what. You're it for me, remember?"

Bucky reached for her, opened his mouth to speak. "Aleks, I-

A knock on the door stopped him and a muffled voice came through. "Um, Buck? Aleksa?"

"Jesus!" Bucky rubbed his hand over his face and she laughed, dispelling the heavy air.

"Steve really has the worst timing, doesn't he?"

"We're not done here, Aleks," he barked as he hopped out of bed and grabbed a fresh pair of sweats. When he struggled a little to pull them on she giggled and jumped up to help.

"I'll hold you to it, babe." She whispered and kissed him. It started to get heated when a heavier knock on the door sounded.

"Aleksandra, we need you out here. We're having a meeting."

The two looked at one another and she was the first to speak. "We'll be right out!" Then she turned to find some clothes. "Rut ro...Dad's upset." She said with a sigh and Bucky laughed.

000

_Whew! Okay ya'll I hope you enjoyed this! Next update will be slow, we just got orders to a new base and I'm scrambling to pack and get our house ready to sell- with a newborn! D: ai yi_

 


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

After the meeting with Steve and the others, Aleksandra was sent out a few days later with Barton and Lang to sniff out some baddies with a bomb. So far, they'd been bouncing around Europe digging out the Hydra operatives for a month. It was annoying that she and Bucky only got to spend just a handful of days with special alone time, but the intel on active Hydra operations was pressing. The splinter group had taken advantage of what Zemo had upset, trying to capitalize on the mayhem. Ignoring the threat could cause a lot of casualties.

Only the three of them were sent; Wilson and Wanda had still been a little too hot to chance getting seen and Steve wanted to stay to finalize some details with T'Challa. Also to make sure Bucky was doing okay.

She'd skyped with her solider nearly two weeks ago, back when they had a chance in Oslo. Their quarries passed through the outskirts of the Norwegian capital, allowing them the opportunity to steal wifi. It'd been hard to find any before where they traveled, keeping a low profile, but they'd leapt at it. Aleks used the tablet first, smiling widely when Bucky saw her. She knew she looked healthy and he seemed relieved even as he searched her face for evidence otherwise. "I'm not comfortable with you out there." He'd said and she rolled her eyes at his words. "The world may not know your face, but Hydra does."

"You worry too much." She'd said. "I was an ant to them...shit, sorry Scott! I doubt anyone alive really knows much about me."

Bucky looked unconvinced but she just shook her head. "Come on, Barnes. I'm with an assassin and a con man, and I'm the plucky sidekick who is really good at punching things. What could go wrong?"

"I hate when you talk like that." He said but she got a grin out of him when she made a show of kissing the screen.

"Stay safe, doll." He said and then she handed the tablet over to her waiting compatriots. She'd said goodbye happy, but she quickly got a little weepy once she saw Lang talk to his daughter and girlfriend and Clint got to talk to his wife and kids.

Then came the day they put Bucky under cryostasis. She'd missed that entirely because she was still in country and was trying not to get killed along with her partners.

They got word that Steve was inbound to the area now, so she would have to get the details from him. It made Aleks feel pretty damn shitty that she hadn't been there for Bucky though. She'd thought about it and when they got back to Wakanda, she was going to plant one of those refrigerators right next to his and climb in. Fuck anyone who had another opinion. At least with him being a fucking icicle he can't argue with me...

"Lexi."

Aleksandra was brought out of her thoughts and looked over at Clint, who then waved his fingers in a series of signs. She watched him finish and said, "I have no fucking clue what that means."

He groaned and pointed forward. "Got eyes on the targets, brat."

"Brat, he says. I'll have you know I was born-

"Yeah yeah, before I was a twinkle in my momma's eye." Barton said quietly. "They've got the rest of the components getting unloaded for that fucking bomb. And I think the guy in charge just showed."

Aleks watched as a very familiar man stepped out of an expensive car, followed by Hydra cronies as he moved towards the building. "That's Strucker." She growled.

Clint looked surprised. "Wait we got him back in...what, '15?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I was there. I was in the building when the Avengers showed." Her eyes followed the stupid equestrian heels of Strucker until he left their view. "Looks like he got out of custody."

"More like off." Clint snarled. "Can't trust the law to get shit done."

"Well, let's get in there." She said and followed the archer's path inside.

000

Like a well-oiled machine the group of three took down goon after goon. The poor bastards hit the ground, one after one, dropping like flies. It took nearly no time at all for them to reach the main room.

"Why do they always seem to go to the first place the enemy will look?" Barton said and Scott shrugged.

"Closest to food...maybe closest to the john. When ya gotta drop the kids off at the pool ya gotta."

"Pff!" Aleks blew air and cackled as they lined up against the double doors. "You're killing me smalls." She made the kick to them herself, because they'd long since realized that her strength was greater after Lang learned the hard way with a sprained ankle.

A solid hit had the doors flying open and the group of three burst in. The bang must have startled Strucker at his desk because he jerked, sending tea spilling cross his shoes. He looked mildly shocked at first, but then he focused on Aleks.

"Valkyrie? We knew our activities were being tracked but...I didn't expect to see you again."

"Didn't think I'd see you bumming around still either. What's up?" she barked and strode forward, flanked by Barton and Lang.

"And you return? To a Hydra facility?" Strucker laughed, though he ended up looking at the two men with her with clear nervousness.

"Yeah well, you guys are dealing in the arms race again." Barton interjected. "She's a tough cookie anyway." Aleks grinned his way and he winked. "You had this shit coming, Baron Von Strucker."

"He sounds like a little Debbie." Scott murmured. "Like a crème filled 'Von Strucker' ya know?"

Aleksandra smirked and said, "Covered in sprinkles." She took a deep breath and eyed her old handler. She felt like this was right where she should be, with these two guys. They had her back and she had theirs and she sure as hell couldn't wait to curb stomp this Hydra bastard. Her claws lengthened with her building excitement.

"This was incredibly foolish of you." Strucker said as he took a step back. He lifted his hand, procuring a small remote; it must have been stashed in his suit. Clint had already drawn his bow, but Aleksandra stopped in her tracks. "Lexi?" he murmured and she didn't answer.

Strucker's eyes lit up as he continued to hold out the tiny electronic device. "Flight...of the Valkyrie." He spoke slowly, punctuating each word.

"No." she whispered as she felt the metal collar around her neck click to life, awaiting the trigger phrase.

"May she writhe."

Aleks felt the searing heat at her throat almost instantaneously. It was sharp and painful but she knew it would only ramp up. She caught Strucker's eye as he dropped the remote due to her distracting Barton and stomped his heel into it. That device was the only way to shut the collar off that she knew of...

"Let us see if you can lose that pretty head of yours." He snapped as he turned and ran. Aleks hit her knee as she watched him go but he didn't get too far. An arrow flew into his ankle and he wailed before hitting the concrete.

"Scott get into that thing and disable it!" Clint barked as he moved to contain Strucker.

Lang leaned down to reach for her shoulder, but quickly retracted his hand. Even a foot from the heat coming off the collar was unbearable. He watched her struggle not to scream as blisters bloomed over her neck like wildfire in a dry forest.

"I...god damnit, I can't! The heat would kill me in there."

Barton snarled and snatched the wailing Hydra office by the collar of his jacket. "How the fuck else do we turn it off?" He shook the man hard. "I'll put an arrow in places you didn't know you had."

Strucker looked like he believed it. "I-I do not know of another way! I was only given the remote to stop it, nothing more!"

"Then you're useless." Barton snapped as he drew a knife.

"Wait, wait!"

Aleksandra's sudden scream stopped everything in the room and her claws raked at her neck, attempting to stop the device. There were serious burns blooming ober her skin and the collar was glowed orange with high heat.

"Holy fuck man," Scott murmured. "It's not going to stop!"

Aleks fell to her side and shook with the pain. She slammed her head into the concrete, anything to distract her for a moment. The blisters on her skin began to break and surrounding tissue peeled away while the collar only glowed brighter. The heat was building further, faster. She'd never been punished this long and she knew there would be no off switch this time.

Dimly she heard shouting and felt someone grab her arm. Glorious chill suddenly touched her neck and she whimpered at the sensation. It was an instant of reprieve from the burning. She felt pressure against her skin and the chill was gone as soon as she felt a snap. The collar fell away and she gasped with relief. Her eyes snapped open and she spotted the damn thing broken in two, crushed at a point. The glow of the metal was slowly receding.

She couldn't speak, too much damage done through her neck, trachea and vocal cords, but she could still, thankfully, breathe. Strong arms lifted her body, though they supported her head as well as they could. The feel of their chest against her torso and their scent told her exactly who her savior was.

Bucky...

Aleks blinked through tears that blurred her vision and took up at his worried face. Emotions overwhelmed her, as well as the severe pain that persisted. She couldn't believe he was there.

Bucky seemed torn between looking in her eyes, at her neck and glaring at the man held captive across the room. She reached up and brushed her hand against his jaw, her eyes fluttering closed at the feel of his beard against her palm. He was really there. She willed him to keep looking at her; knew was going to pass out soon.

Her lips moved to attempt speech and he frowned, running his free hand over her forehead. "No, sweetheart. Don't try talking." He kissed her just as the darkness took her under.

000

Aleksandra opened her eyes slowly. She spotted Bucky sitting in a chair close to her head. From the hum and the familiar cot she lied in, she knew they were in Steve's Quinjet. Still, seeing him there felt like it was all just a dream. Hell he even had his arm back.

She could see it well from her vantage point. His fingers were twined together and he was staring across from himself. The metal of the arm he had now was a duller and slightly darker metal, not as shiny, but it suited him. She wondered what it was made out of, but could hazard a guess if it came from Wakanda. He must have used it to break the collar off.

The collar...

She lifted her hand from under the blanket to touch her neck but that lovely metal shot out to grasp it, gently but firmly. She met Bucky's concerned eyes.

"Hey doll," he said, "I wouldn't touch your skin just yet."

Aleks swallowed though her throat still felt sore. "How much more?" She sounded like a frog.

He looked relieved, probably that she could speak, and said, "It looks pretty red. Probably still a second-degree at least. It was...a lot worse."

She looked up at the saline drip and saw it was connected to her arm. Not a bad idea she knew. With her throat sore but usable, she knew she could probably eat something to help speed along the healing of her skin and muscles of her neck.

Bucky was on the same thought process it seemed, because he lifted up a juice box and pudding cup.

She tried to laugh but coughed instead and he ran his hand through her hair. "Thanks, tiger."

She took the pudding as he helped her sit up. Across the way sat Strucker, to her surprise. He had a really mean looking shiner and his bottom lip was so swollen he looked like he had some botched plastic surgery. She looked sideways at Bucky who wouldn't meet her eyes.

"Did he run into a door knob?" she murmured and he didn't even try to hide how satisfied he looked. He flexed his new metal hand and she smirked when Strucker flinched.

"Yeah. A few times, the clumsy fuck."

She snickered and slapped his arm. "Stop trying to make me laugh!"

He smirked at her and handed over a spoon. "Eat."

She lifted a brow and did as she was told. Together they watched Strucker squirm across from them while she ate.

"I like your new arm." Aleks said as she licked the spoon clean.

"Courtesy of a Wakandan king." He muttered, watching her set the cup down to the side.

"Why didn't you go under?" she asked quietly.

Bucky leaned forward, grabbed her hand once she laid it on the cot. "I kept up with the intel you guys were getting back to Steve. Heard where you were going...there was something that slipped through the codes. We found out who was in charge. Strucker had control over you before...I didn't want something to happen." He glanced up to her neck then met her eyes. "I'm really fucking glad I came with Steve."

"You know..." Aleksandra began, "Strucker once said he would test if my head could be burned off the next time I disobeyed." She heard the arm of his whir to life and she just kept hold of his hand. She tugged, dragging his attention back to her. "It looks like that'll never happen...all because you didn't go under. You were here to break that thing and I haven't had it off my neck since...the 40's."

Bucky kept his eyes on her, though she knew he wanted desperately to go beat the Hydra bastard across from them bloody. "I know it's selfish," she continued, "but I am really, really glad that you're here with me."

Bucky squeezed her hand and lifted it, brushing his lips over her knuckles. "I'm right where I want to be." He moved over onto the cot to sit in front of her crossed legs and held both of her hands in his. She smiled at the sight of her appendages dwarfed by his natural and metal ones. "I love ya, doll." He said suddenly, his voice soft but serious as he caught her eye.

Her smile was wide and instantaneous and she leaned forward. "God damn, Barnes...I love you too."

He grinned back was careful of her still-healing neck as he pulled her in for a kiss. It was deep and full and though they were carefl of her burns, there was plenty of passion building. She ran her claws through his hair and he moved both hands down her back to tug her closer. There absolutely was nowhere else they'd rather be.

"Um, is there somewhere else I can go?"

They separated and glared over at Strucker who looked uncomfortable, as well as regretful he'd even spoken. Aleks pursed her lips in thought and then glanced over at Bucky playfully.

"Shall we play...beat the Hydra goon?"

Together they looked back at Strucker, who had taken to shaking. "Rules?" Bucky said.

"No breaking things...not yet anyway. First one to make him really scream without doing that gets extra points."

"Sounds fun." He said and he helped her to her feet with his metal hand.

"Such a gentleman." She said and looked down at the Hydra officer while she yanked out the needle from her arm. "You know, Bucky is an amazing guy."

"Oh um, I-I'm very happy for you, Valkyrie."

She smiled coyly and she moved closer, kicked his foot mildly and watched him squirm. "Say, Bucky, how much pressure does it take to snap the collar bone?"

His arm went over her shoulder and he made a show of thinking. "I dunno...not much. 'Specially not with this." His new metal arm gleamed in the light of the cabin. "I thought you said not to break anything yet?"

"I think I changed my mind. That collar was a real bitch...and I'm kinda feeling like one." Strucker grew even more pale- then promptly passed out.

"What? Damn what a big baby!" she said as Bucky pulled her into his side. "Freddie fun-eater over there..."

"Come on, doll." He said as he led her to the door. "He's not going anywhere. The others will want to make sure you're okay anyway."

"Fine..." she murmured dramatically before she remembered something. "Hey! I have on good authority T'Challa has a pool at the compound."

Bucky smirked and looked down at her as they entered the main cabin area. "Oh yeah?"

She gave him a sultry, pointed look. "You wanna go swimming later?" She pressed her body into his and he cleared his throat as Scott saw them coming.

"Can't wait." He said to the top of her head.

"How's Little Debbie?" Scott asked, thoroughly confusing Bucky. Her nickname?

"Who?"

"He's a little beat up but he's still got most of the stuffing still." Aleksandra said against Bucky's side, ignoring his question.

"Well that's nice."

"Lexi! Isn't that icicle thawed out enough for you?"

Bucky frowned at the archer who sat grinning at them but Aleks lifted her finger. "Hey Clint, has your 10th kid been born yet or...?"

Barton laughed and shook his head while Bucky looked suspicious. "Please tell me he doesn't have 10 kids."

"He's got four now!" Steve barked from the front of the jet. "She just called and told him she's expecting."

Aleks raised her brows. "Say what?" she sang. Barton nodded and though he smiled he looked a little green around the gills. "Your wife is a Saint." she said as she moved to sit down across from him.

"Not gonna argue that."

Aleks shook her head and leaned into Bucky as he sat next to her. Scott plopped down across from them and nodded toward the new metal arm.

"Hey, that things pretty cool. Did it hurt getting it put on?"

"They put me under for it." Bucky said and Aleks frowned.

"That would have been kinda cool to see...Though I am glad you didn't go under, I would have wanted to be there."

"Yeah," said the archer, "Lexi here was real butthurt that day she thought you did. She got really snappy and punched some guy-"

Aleksandra frowned. "Shut up, Barton."

"So are you going into cryo still?" Scott asked.

It seemed like everyone tuned in for his answer, including Steve at the controls, but Bucky simply leaned back and threw an arm over Aleks's shoulder. "Nah. You guys seem to need me." The men laughed and Scott nodded emphatically yes.

"We really do." Aleksandra said quietly and her soldier caught her eye, gave her a squeeze.

"Good, cuz you're stuck with me, doll."

"I would say gay...but-

The woman shot daggers. "Barton! I will make it so this next kid is your last."

Bucky glanced down at Aleks snuggled into his side, though she was still shooting daggers at Clint. She was a small woman, his Aleksandra, but she was fierce in many ways. He loved it. "Have I told you that I think it's cute you threaten people constantly?"

000

Whoo, so busy lately ;_; I hope you all enjoyed this! Anyway, not sure if this is a good wrap up or not, but know I will be continuing my Bucky/OC 'Right Side of the Bed'.

Thank you for the kudos! And the commenters! Love you!


	18. Epilogue

Epilogue

Bucky stepped into the clean cottage he shared with Aleksandra and stood still there a moment, waiting for her to welcome him back from work. Her music mix was drifting over the speakers so he assumed she was around, or nearby.

Over the past few months, he had practically thrown himself into building and infrastructure labor for T'Challa. The jobs were positively cathartic compared to the constant fighting he'd been subjected to for most of his conscious existence over the past few decades. Manual labor in the African heat was brutal as hell of course, but it had been both spiritually and physically rewarding.

One bonus was the prize he came home to, he thought as he gave up and walked into the kitchen. Home, the word came to him with a content smile. It wasn't really a place to him; though this romantic nook that T'Challa had given them was perfect. It was her who made his home a reality. Aleks filled his days with compassion, energy and excitement and their house with sultry smelling Roma dishes and the deep keening of her new violin.

As he opened the fridge, he half expected her to hop on his back as she was keen to do. Often they couldn't contain their insane attraction to one another. Their sex life was...something he could never have dreamed or hoped for in the late 30's. Women simply weren't wild in the way his Aleks is. But he supposed her kin were different than the good gals he'd taken on dates back then. It was a shame he'd never meet Aleks's family with their own unique branch of culture; all but gone thanks to the war.

Still, their connection, their sex life was something he was exceptionally pleased with and never would have dreamed of in his past life. He hadn't been interested in sex before meeting Aleks in his recent memory, but this woman was constantly under his skin in the best way. He would watch her do mundane things, like cook or brush her hair and he'd feel a sharp stab of lust just as he would when she broke someone deserving's fingers or played the violin just for him.

He hadn't felt attractive either but Aleksandra was forever ogling his muscles when he walked into their condo, usually with a sheen of sweat from his long day at work. "Oh tiger..." she often purred when she spotted him enter the house or step into her studio. "Rawr." Then she would literally pounce upon him and tear him up like a wildcat. He couldn't ask for a more perfect woman.

A knock on the door drew him from his fresh and pleasantly clear memories and he cautiously stepped to the front door, looking through the peep hole. It was installed for courtesy, he supposed, but it was appreciated nonetheless. Bucky beamed when he spotted who was behind the door.

"Steve!" he said as he flung the door wide and was enveloped in a warm bear hug by his best friend. "We didn't expect you back for a while."

Steve stepped in, allowing Bucky to shake Sam's extended hand and briskly exchange a hello. They were still a bit cool towards one another, but with Aleks and Rodgers pushing them together it hadn't been too hard to remain more than civil.

"Beer?" he offered and got appreciative nods.

Within minutes the three men were in the kitchen downing some brews and pouring over data from intelligence Steve had received from Maria Hill over the past week, as well as his own missions.

"So things are going well." Bucky said with a sigh, happy he didn't have to drag Aleks into a war he wasn't sure he wanted to get involved in. But he quickly chastised himself. If Steve needed help, he'd be there regardless of his personal reservations.

"Yep. Surprisingly things have been quiet, Buck. How you been?"

"Not bad." he said and leaned against the counter. "I've been helping T'Challa with some things and Aleks is working with some students, teaching them violin."

"Speaking of kids," Sam began. "Your girlfriend is adopting a one." Sam said offhandedly as he read the label on his beer bottle.

Bucky just stared at him while Steve sighed. "What?"

"Oh right, go see for yourself man. Steve's girlfriend or whatever she is appeared out of thin fuckin' air with another chick whose kid Aleksa took. Its confusing man, just you wait."

Bucky frowned and was about to call bull when Aleks walked in with a kid on her hip and Wanda at her side carrying a huge bag with baby toys peeking out.

Jesus christ...

000

Aleks and Wanda wandered into the room, with the song "Shape of You" humming on the speakers and Aleks frowned as she adjusted the baby on her hip. "You know I saw the parody of this with the Teletubbies and...and I just can't hear this song without seeing Teeny Weenie or whoever dancing to this."

Wanda laughed and was about to reply when her watch beeped an alert and she got excited. "It's Viz! I gotta go take this, Aleksa."

"Mince meat..." she said with a growl. "Go out back then, floozy. It should be getting cooler by now." Aleksandra let Wanda skirt away and looked up, spotting the guys with Bucky leaning over their dark granite counter staring at her with a strange expression she'd never seen before. It curled her toes in a delicious way, but mostly she hoped he was cool with her dragging a kid into their house without asking.

"Hi guys." she said innocently and the girl on her hip mimicked by chirping "hi".

Steve was smirking as he watched the baby and said, "I can't believe Siggy really did leave her with you. She's a strong woman- and a fierce mother."

"I can't believe I pulled the babysitting short straw out of everyone she knew- and I didn't even know her before today!" Her head was still reeling from that conversation on exactly why Siggy and her 'sister' Grace chose her. There were safety reasons the child couldn't go with her relatives and they had no where else to turn. "Guess there was some really serious shit going down with some baddies; momma didn't want her caught in the crosshairs."

Steve nodded. "Yeah, and I vouched for you. Plus Buck is doing much better; no episodes."

Bucky frowned from the side but nodded. It was true. Rodgers continued.

"I only know what Grace has told me, honestly, but Hela is a special little gal and she needs a safe haven until her mom and dad can make some kind of understanding. They need to reconcile for her sake."

Aleks looked at Bucky pointedly and smiled. "So, can we keep her?" She even bounced the kid on her hip, eliciting a wide smile from the baby.

"Told ya, man." Sam muttered from the side and Aleksandra pinned him with a sharp look.

"You better not be treading into these waters, Wilson."

"I uh, think I heard Wanda asking for something? I'm gonna- go outside." And with that Sam skirted the poised-to-strike redhead and went out to the deck.

Aleksandra looked at Steve quickly and said, "How long do you think this is going to go on for? I don't have a Toy'R'us account..."

"Not sure, Miz Romani, but you better chat with Buck here before he keels over. Feel free to ask questions in a bit."

Steve steps over and holds his hands out to baby Hela and, surprisingly, the girl begins babbling and lunges for him. Aleks readily allows the hand off and the big blonde brings her out back with the others, leaving her alone with a silent Bucky.

"Hey sexy." she murmured and he slowly stalks around the wall of the counter, nearing where she stood nervously.

"Where did this come from?" he said suddenly.

Aleksandra sighed and stepped over to the freezer, pulling out some vodka and pouring some into a small shot glass. "Well, Grace- Steve's actual real life girlfriend by the way- and Siggy, the baby's mom appeared out of thin air." Like Sam had told him, Bucky thought as he watched her down the shot and move. "They're real live Valkyrie." Aleks said reverently, placing her hand with tiny black claws over his.

Bucky frowned. Valkyrie was her code-name and the name of the project that created her. Of course she has some hero worship. The scientists who tired to change her into a weapon wanted her to become a Valkyrie, a living myth from legend. Turns out they were real? Aleks continued.

"They said...they feel me like any of their own sisters. That I'm really one of them." She said, her eyes lighting with a sense of belonging.

Bucky frowned and took her hand in both of his, pulling her close. "Sweetheart..."

Aleks shook her head. "No baby, just- just trust me. I know this is all hoodoo to you but this is something that makes perfect sense to me. I have all this power that shouldn't have come from a serum and the archives under my name state some pretty damning stuff. Things that make no sense. The lightning? Maybe...maybe it was a fluke or something but I could have been turned."

Her eyes were so big and hopeful, he hadn't realized how lost she had been until this possibility of belonging landed on their doorstep. Kinship was so important to her people; it made sense, this hope for a connection to a family. He would be damned if he was the one to snuff out that light.

Bucky sighed but grinned down at his woman. In response, her eyes lit up and she leapt into his arms. "You're okay with this, stud?"

"I still don't know what I agreed to..."

"Me either. I just know that Siggy begged me to keep her daughter safe. I'm apparently the better bet than her human foster-mother and the others. I guess technically we're in hiding anyway...but I plan on doing right by them." Aleksa said with ferocity, pinning her man with her determination. "Will you help me?"

Bucky sighed. "You couldn't bring home a puppy or something?"

"Don't test me, Barnes. I'll do that as well."

The bay doors to the back deck opened again and Steve stepped in with baby Hela, who was fussing wildly against the huge man's hold- and holding her own. "She needs you I think. She's a sharp little gal."

Bucky let Aleks move away as she turned and gathered the little girl up quickly. "Why do you say that?"

"She was saying Lexa."

"Lexa Lexa." Hela barked over and over, wiggling in Aleksandra's grip.

"Ugh my ovaries don't stand a chance." Aleks muttered and sat on the floor with the girl near the huge duffle bag of baby things.

Bucky pinned Steve with a look and said quietly, "Whose her dad? Why the danger?"

Steve frowned. "The girl's father is Loki."

"Like...Asgard? Criminal?" He'd certainly seen the news. How the hell did this cute kid come from that asshole's balls?

"Yeah, but he doesn't know about her just yet. Theres...a lot going on with Siggy and his relationship but I'm not gonna go into it because I don't even know it all. Suffice to say...there's reasoning to believe that Hela could be in danger."

"Who would hurt her? The dad?"

Steve frowned. "Who knows...but the real threat is, well, Siggy's sisters. The elder Valkyrie, she called them. They don't like that Siggy was a natural born Valkyrie, but they hate that she had a kid with someone like Loki. Grace said they called the baby a monster and vowed to 'do away' with her."

Bucky frowned. "What does that mean? Natural born..."

Steve smirked when Hela threw a doll across the room but then accepted a toy sword. "Nice arm on that kid! Grace explained it as being born again by "great adversity and sacrifice". With a little bit of lightning tossed in. Who know's how they're chosen, but they are and they're powerful. Siggy's mom was a Valkyrie and she gave birth like normal; not transformed from death like the others. Like Aleksa."

Bucky stood with his best friend in the world and watched the small redhead, his woman, a formidable, ruthless but compassionate female, playing on the ground with the child dropped so suddenly into their lives. He felt a deep welling of protectiveness bloom within his chest and his next words were sharp and filled with emotion. "No one will touch them."

000

That evening when everyone had left and Aleks had successfully put the baby to bed, Bucky sat out on the deck watching the last of the light leave the sky. He heard the nearly silent pad of her bare feet and then her hand was over his chest as she leaned over to hand him a beer.

"Doing okay, tiger?"

When he answered, it was the truth. "I'm happy, doll."

She smiled widely and spun around the front of the chair to climb onto his lap, her cotton skirt sailing in the sultry African breeze with the move. His right hand brushed under her toned legs, near the curve of her ass and he felt himself reacting swiftly. She did too.

"Mr. Barnes!" she said in mock outrage. "There is a child in that house behind us!"

"So? We can just mess around out here."

Aleksandra giggled and readjusted quickly so her legs were on either side of his hips. She plucked the beer forgotten in his metal hand and set it to the side before threading her fingers in his hair. Her claws scratched at his scalp gently, sending chills over his skin.

"Love when you do that, sweetheart." he practically purred as she ground herself just so over the tent in his jeans. "And that.."

"Bucky," she said and he met her eyes. They glowed with the gold color so unique to her and felt his desire peaking.

"Need you, doll."

"You're mine." she said suddenly, possessively.

"I'm yours." he said. "Are you worried?"

"No, not so much but..." she sighed and leaned in close. "I have the feeling things are about to change. This was a good home."

Bucky held her close and they took steadying breathes for a few moments before he spoke. "You're my home, doll. You know that. And now we got a kid to look out for."

Aleks smirked as she pulled back and lowered her voice comically low. "I pity the fool who thinks they can- Rah!" she shrieked as he slapped her ass hard.

"You never take anything seriously." he accused and she laughed.

"Wait, no. Bucky? You know what I take seriously?" she quieted and he caught her eyes, trapped in them. "I take deez nuts seriously-!"

She didn't even finish before she was hauled up and tossed over his shoulder. Her laugher rang throughout the night as he carried her to the hot tub at the edge of the deck. "I'm sorry!" she screamed, her joy radiating through his as he held her. "I'll show you deez nuts..."

"Oh!" She laughed hard until he dropped her in the water. She resurfaced still giggling but quieted when caught him removing his pants. Her breasts heaved against her now see-through top and his eyes grew dark with lust. "Did I poke you too much, tiger?" Her voice sounded breathy and aroused.

"Maybe...but I poke back, sweetheart."

Later when they had spent themselves and crept back into the house, wet but covered with towels, Aleks lingered at the door to the quickly converted baby's room. Hela was lying on her side clutching a stuffed penguin and sleeping soundly. It made her feel all warm and gooey.

"I need one." she muttered and suddenly felt Bucky behind her. She thought he'd kept going to their room.

When he didn't say anything, just pulled her into his chest and watched the baby with her, she felt- and not for the first time- that this was a man she would die for. A man she wanted to give babies to... and the Roma had lots of them. She smirked evilly and he must have sensed something, because he leaned down and bit her ear.

"Come to bed, sweetheart, and we can work on that."

He held the back of her head then and kissed her thoroughly, languidly for a few moments before squeezing her ass quickly and walking back to their room. He'd just left her flustered and horny. With a small growl she made one last check on the baby and darted after him.

000

Thanks for all who read this and kept leaving kudos and following and commenting! I felt it needed a better, more solid ending. Siggy, Hela and Grace are all from another fic I've got going but I'm about to revise the beginning of it. The rest will be pretty on point though.

I hope you liked this story and there is a chance I'll continue their story as more MCU movies come out with our favorite broody assassin.


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